Professor Ritchie Wins International Award for Reef Research
University of South Carolina Beaufort marine biology professor Dr. Kim Ritchie has won the 2026 Eminence in Research Award from the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS). She was also selected to be a Fellow of the ICRS.
“Kim’s research career has been marked by exceptional impact," said Mónica Medina, professor of organismal biology at UCLA. "At a time when coral disease research largely focused on identifying pathogens in isolation, she introduced a transformative conceptual shift: corals must be understood as complex biological systems whose health is governed by dynamic microbial communities."
According to Medina, Ritchie was one of the first researchers to demonstrate that corals are protected by beneficial microbes that actively suppress disease. This breakthrough lay the foundation for what is now widely known as coral probiotics.
"This paradigm-shifting insight has since influenced countless studies and inspired novel, nature-based approaches to coral conservation and restoration," Medina said.
Ritchie directs research on USCB’s Pritchards Island and is an associate professor of genetics and prokaryotic cell biology in the Department of Natural Sciences.
In addition to coral reefs, Ritchie’s research also focuses on the role beneficial bacteria may play in wound healing in sharks, skates and rays and their potential as a source for new antibiotics. Ritchie joined the USCB faculty in 2016.
The ICRS is the world’s principal association for coral reef scientists, managers, students and enthusiasts in more than 65 countries. Founded in 1980, its mission is to promote the acquisition and dissemination of scientific knowledge to secure coral reefs for future generations.
Ritchie will accept her award and give a presentation at the 16th annual ICRS Symposium in Auckland, New Zealanad, in July.
- USCB -
JJ 04/23/2026