Professor Thomas Sharpton Awarded Milton Harris Award for Basic Research

02/17/26

A woman in a purple shirt stands next to a man in a suit holding a glass award.

Thomas Sharpton, professor in the departments of Microbiology and Statistics and the Burgess and Elizabeth Jamieson Chair in Healthspan Research, received the Milton Harris Award for Basic Research.

Thomas Sharpton, a professor of Microbiology and Statistics and the Burgess and Elizabeth Jamieson Chair in Healthspan Research at Oregon State University, has been awarded the Milton Harris Award for Basic Research in recognition of his transformative contributions to microbiome science. Since joining OSU in 2013, Sharpton has led an interdisciplinary research program that blends computational biology, statistics and molecular microbiology to better understand how microbial communities interact with their hosts. His analytical tools, statistical models and experimental approaches have helped shape foundational methods used across the rapidly evolving microbiome field.

Sharpton’s research has generated significant advances in understanding the role of the gut microbiome in complex conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, neurological processes and parasite infections. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, including work featured in top journals, and has secured over $24 million in competitive funding from major agencies such as the NIH, NSF, USDA and Department of Defense. In addition to his research, Sharpton has strengthened OSU’s scientific community through leadership of the OSU Microbiome Initiative and the Microbiome Core, mentorship of dozens of trainees and a sustained commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship and inclusive research practices.