AGBT Announces 2026 Next Gen Leadership Award Recipients for the General Meeting
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Next Gen Leadership Awards for the AGBT General Meeting. These prestigious awards recognize outstanding early-career researchers and graduate students whose work and potential are driving…
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 26, 2026
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Next Gen Leadership Awards for the AGBT General Meeting. These prestigious awards recognize outstanding early-career researchers and graduate students whose work and potential are driving innovation across genomics and related disciplines.
Through the Next Gen Leadership Awards, recipients receive financial support to attend and present their research at the AGBT General Meeting, enabling meaningful scientific exchange, professional growth, and connections within the genomics community.
The program prioritizes applicants affiliated with institutions historically underrepresented at AGBT, reinforcing its commitment to expanding access and opportunity in genomics.
The 2026 award recipients are
- Alexandria Awai, postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine/Morehouse School of Medicine — Presentation: Graph-based variant discovery in African breast cancer genomes using the HPRC-T2T pangenome
- Kingsley E. Bentum, graduate student at Tuskegee University — Presentation: Adopting a metagenomic and quasimetagenomic approach to comparatively investigate the microbial diversity of bovine feces cultured for Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria spp.
- Asmaa Elrefaey, graduate PhD Student in Integrative Biosciences PhD Program at Tuskegee University — Presentation: Comparative genomic and virulence profiling of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli using pangenome analysis tools
- Azadeh Golduzian, graduate PhD student at The University of New Mexico — Presentation: Dynamic traits concentrate heritability in regulatory regions: scalable functional partitioning in All of Us
- Faith Wadzanai Kadzviti, graduate PhD student at Tuskegee University — Presentation: Genomic characterization of Escherichia coli from ruminants: an examination of diversity, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
- Trevor Mugoya, early independent researcher at San Diego State University Research Foundation — Presentation: svArcher: a reproducible structural variant calling pipeline module for plant genomes.
- Zulma Lisseth Reyes-Benitez, graduate student at Morehouse School of Medicine, Neuroscience Institute — Presentation: Direct RNA sequencing reveals complex patterns of epi-transcriptomic modification following stroke
- Li Tao, graduate student at Wayne State University School of Medicine — Presentation: Multi-omics profiling reveals metal-specific activation of fibrogenesis in human iPSC-derived hepatic stellate cells
- Kimberley Billingsley, early independent researcher at National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Presentation: Long-read sequencing of hundreds of diverse brains provides insight into the impact of structural variation on gene expression and methylation
These awardees represent the rising leaders of genomics, advancing innovative research spanning cancer genomics, infectious disease, population genetics, neuroscience, agriculture, and environmental health. Their work addresses critical challenges in human health, disease, and biological diversity, reinforcing AGBT's mission to advance research, promote education, and expand commerce in genome science and technology.
"It is an honor to recognize these exceptional early-career scientists whose innovation and commitment reflect the future of genomics. Their work is expanding the boundaries of discovery."
Len Pennacchio, The Genome Partnership board member and chair of the Education Committee
AGBT's General Meeting brings together top researchers, industry leaders, and investors to advance genome biology and technology. It is where significant scientific discoveries and transformative technologies are introduced and collaborations take shape. The Next Gen Leadership Awards recognize emerging scientists whose work is driving the next wave of innovation. By honoring them alongside established leaders, AGBT underscores the essential role of early-career leadership in shaping the future of genomics.
For more information about the Next Gen Leadership Awards and the AGBT General Meeting, visit www.agbt.org.
About AGBT
Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) provides a forum for the global genomics community to exchange ideas and advance the field of genomics and its applications across diverse disciplines.