October 21, 2026
The award is given in recognition of a pediatrician with a distinguished career in pediatric infectious diseases marked by significant contributions as a clinician, educator, or investigator
Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, known worldwide for his devotion to the health and well-being of children, is the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) Walter T. Hughes Distinguished Physician Award recipient for 2026. The award originated in 1987 and was renamed to honor Walter T. Hughes, the first president of the society, in 2022. It recognizes an exceptional pediatrician whose career is marked by significant contributions to the field of pediatric infectious diseases. Dr. Hotez’s commitment to bringing attention to infectious diseases that disproportionally affect children and communities living in poverty and his leadership in defending vaccines are an inspiration to generations of his colleagues.
The award is presented during Wednesday’s Opening Plenary of IDWeek (October 21-24), the premier scientific meeting for infectious diseases professionals, in Washington, D.C. Additional society awards and recognitions will take place during Thursday evening’s PIDS Foundation Annual Dinner and at the PIDS Membership Meeting on Friday afternoon.
As Co-director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Dr. Hotez has pioneered patent-free vaccine development for neglected tropical diseases and other infectious diseases affecting vulnerable populations. His work has had extraordinary global reach, with hundreds of millions of children and adults benefitting from vaccines he has helped develop, including those targeting COVID-19, hookworm, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and chikungunya, among others. He has served as a US Envoy focusing on vaccine diplomacy initiatives as well as on infectious disease task forces for Texas state government.
“It is our pleasure to recognize the unparalleled contributions to pediatric infectious diseases by Dr. Hotez with this year’s Hughes Award,” said PIDS president Debra Palazzi, MD, MEd, FPIDS. “Dr. Hotez’s work in developing and defending vaccines, as well as his commitment to ensuring no disease or community is ignored, illustrates the impact our specialty can have on society. I am delighted to be part of an organization and an institution with such a prominent pediatrician, educator and advocate for children everywhere as this year’s Walter T. Hughes Distinguished Physician, Peter Hotez.
Dr. Hotez is credited with more than 700 original scholarly publications, six books, and was the founding editor-in-chief of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the publication for the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, where he also served as president. His work has been celebrated and recognized by a distinguished list of organizations, including the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the American Medical Association, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and his efforts on a low-cost, patent-free COVID-19 vaccine led to his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Additionally, Dr. Hotez has become a leading voice of vaccine advocacy with appearances on national news broadcasts and newspaper interviews.
Dr. Hotez earned his PhD from Rockefeller University and his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed his pediatrics residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and his infectious diseases and molecular parasitology fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine. He is currently Director, Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital where he is also Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics, and Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
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About PIDS PIDS membership encompasses leaders across the global scientific and public health spectrum, including clinical care, advocacy, academics, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. From fellowship training to continuing medical education, research, regulatory issues and guideline development, PIDS members are the core professionals advocating for the improved health of children with infectious diseases both nationally and around the world, participating in critical public health and medical professional advisory committees that determine the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, immunization practices in children, and the education of pediatricians. For more information, visit http://www.pids.org.
Improving the health of children worldwide through philanthropic support of scientific and educational programs.
