Hermance receives Rising Star Award from alma mater
Posted on July 6, 2026 by Marketing and Communications
From advancing research on emerging tick-borne viruses to mentoring the next generation of scientists, Meghan E. Hermance, Ph.D., has quickly built a national reputation in infectious disease research. Those accomplishments recently earned Hermance, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Whiddon College of Medicine, a Rising Star Award from her undergraduate alma mater, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS).
The award honors VMBS graduates who completed their education within the past 10 years and have distinguished themselves through significant professional achievements, as well as public service and volunteer activities, early in their careers.
Texas A&M recognized Hermance and the other 2026 alumni award recipients during a reception June 5 in College Station, Texas, where biographies highlighting each honoree's accomplishments were presented. Watch Hermance's profile video.
“Receiving the Texas A&M VMBS Rising Star Award is a great honor because it comes from the institution that first sparked my passion for biomedical research,” Hermance said. “Looking back, I'm incredibly grateful for the mentors who invested in me as a student, and this recognition reminds me how important it is to provide that same encouragement and opportunity to the trainees in my own laboratory."
"I'm also thankful to the University of South Alabama Whiddon College of Medicine for providing an environment where my research program has been able to grow, making this recognition possible,” she added.
Hermance earned her bachelor's degree from Texas A&M in 2011, graduating with honors and a double major in biomedical sciences and entomology. She went on to earn a doctorate in basic biomedical sciences from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) College of Medicine, where she began studying the Powassan virus.
After completing her Ph.D. in 2016, Hermance remained at UTMB for a three-year postdoctoral fellowship before joining SUNY Upstate Medical University as a research scientist. She joined the Whiddon College of Medicine's Department of Microbiology and Immunology in 2020 as an assistant professor and was promoted to tenured associate professor in 2025.
In addition to her faculty appointment, Hermance directs the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the University of South Alabama College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology.
Hermance's research focuses on arboviruses — viruses transmitted to humans by arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies. Her work has resulted in numerous publications, competitive grant funding and national recognition. She has secured more than $3 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including a $2.59 million NIH grant to investigate the transmission and spread of emerging tick-borne viruses carried by an invasive tick species now found in the United States.
Beyond her research, Hermance is widely recognized for her commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate, graduate and medical students.
She also serves as vice chair of the University of South Alabama's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and chairs the Whiddon College of Medicine's Distinguished Scientist Seminar Committee. Nationally, she serves as treasurer and an executive council member of the American Committee on Arthropod-Borne Viruses and Zoonotic Diseases.
Hermance frequently shares her expertise with the public through media interviews on tick-borne diseases and emerging infectious threats. Her impact in research, education and community outreach was further recognized through her selection to Mobile Bay Magazine's 40 Under 40, honoring young professionals who demonstrate leadership, professional excellence and service to the Gulf Coast community.