Dr. Peter Hotez, a prominent figure in tropical medicine and vaccine development, has been named one of the recipients of the 2025 Hill Prize by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST). The award recognizes high-risk, high-reward ideas with significant potential for real-world impact.
Hotez serves as dean at Baylor College of Medicine's National School of Tropical Medicine and co-directs the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. He is among six individuals honored this year, each receiving $500,000 from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to advance their projects. This marks the first year that TAMEST acknowledges six awardees, including a new category in Public Health made possible by a $10 million contribution from Lyda Hill Philanthropies.
The 2025 Hill Prizes focus on innovative approaches to global challenges with interdisciplinary teams from various institutions. Recipients were selected by TAMEST members based in Texas and endorsed by Nobel and Breakthrough Prize Laureates before approval by the TAMEST Board of Directors.
Hotez's team was awarded for their work on The Texas Virosphere Project under the Public Health category. Their project addresses health risks heightened by climate change through a predictive disease atlas aimed at preventing outbreaks before they escalate into emergencies. Collaborating with Rice University researchers, they plan to use climate science and metagenomics to study insect genomes and improve public health strategies in Texas and along the Gulf Coast.
Awardees will be recognized during the opening reception of TAMEST's 2025 Annual Conference in Irving, Texas.
