Ryan Smith, associate professor in plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, is the recipient of the faculty 2026 Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. He is an internationally recognized leader in medical entomology whose innovative research has transformed understanding of mosquito and tick biology and vector-borne disease transmission.
Smith’s pioneering development of immune cell depletion methods, single-cell technologies and the first genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen in mosquitoes has opened new frontiers for studying host–pathogen interactions. As coordinator of the Iowa Mosquito and Tick Surveillance program since 2016, he has overseen the collection and analysis of more than one million mosquito and 5,000 tick samples, generating annual reports for state and local heath departments that directly inform interventions for West Nile virus and invasive vector species.
“He is a leader in the vector biology community, whose research has provided unparalleled insight into mosquito biology and host-pathogen interactions, while developing novel genetic resources to advance the study of mosquitoes,” stated a colleague.