Marcos Isidoro-Ayza, DVM, postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases, member of the Klein Research Group, was awarded $5,000 for the “Graduate Student Research Recognition Award (SRRA)” by the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) Conference in Canberra, Australia, in December 2024, where his research was the keynote presentation during the student presentation day. This award is given to the student determined to have the best research project in the field of wildlife health or disease. Isidoro-Ayza’s work, “Skin model unveils the pathogenic plasticity of Pseudogymnoascus destructans during early white-nose syndrome of bats,” explores North American bat populations that are being destroyed by the emergence of white nose syndrome. This deadly disease is caused by a cold-loving fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which invades the skin of bats during hibernation. However, the processes by which P. destructans invades bat skin remain obscure. His findings highlighted the adaptability and resilience of P. destructans in invading bat skin while also revealing potential vulnerabilities that could be targeted for treating or preventing WNS.