October Newsletter 
Board Announcement
We would like to introduce the IDS St. Louis Board of Directors for 2027-2028! The board looks forward to serving IDS St. Louis for the next two years.
New Board Members
Sumaya Ased
Sumaya Ased, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, is a dual board-certified clinical pharmacy specialist in Pharmacotherapy and Infectious Diseases. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Creighton University and completed postgraduate residency training at Creighton University Medical Center.
Dr. Ased has broad experience in pharmacy leadership, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial stewardship, with contributions to publications and ongoing teaching and mentoring of students and residents.
She has developed and sustained antimicrobial stewardship programs across academic, community, and rural critical-access settings and holds an Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificate from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).
For the past four years, she has served as System Clinical Manager for Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship at SSM Health, leading infectious diseases pharmacy services and stewardship initiatives across a 20-hospital, multi-state system. She leads antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists and partners with interdisciplinary leaders to improve antimicrobial use, patient outcomes, and stewardship excellence.
Madeline McCrary
Dr. Madeline McCrary is an infectious diseases and addiction medicine physician and assistant professor of medicine at WashU since 2023. As one of the few ID and Addiction Medicine board certified physicians in the country, her clinical practice focuses primarily on caring for people who use drugs and co-managing infections and substance use. She also works with a group of fantastic colleagues at WashU to develop and implement novel programs to improve Hepatitis C treatment access among PWUD and pregnant persons. In addition to her clinical work, she is also a co-chair of the new IDSA ID & Substance Use special interest group and Medical Director of OPAT at WashU.
Hunter Rondeau
Dr. Hunter Rondeau is a Kansas native who obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kansas. He completed a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL followed by a PGY-2 infectious diseases residency at the University of Minnesota Medical Center – M Health Fairview in Minneapolis, MN. He currently serves as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Coordinator for SSM Health. He holds adjunct faculty appointments at both the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis.
He is an active member of both the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists and Infectious Disease PRN. He is a recipient of the United States Public Health Service’s Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award. His content areas of interest include antimicrobial stewardship metrics, public health, gram-negative resistance, and finding new ways to remove intravenous clindamycin from pharmacy shelves.
Hilal Abdessamad
Dr. Hilal Abdessamad is an Infectious Diseases fellow at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he will serve as Chief Fellow for academic year 2026/2027. He earned his MD from the University of Balamand in Lebanon and completed Internal Medicine residency and initial Infectious Diseases fellowship training at the Lebanese American University.
A member of IDSA, Dr. Abdessamad is active in clinical research, peer review, and medical education. His clinical and research interests include HIV care, antimicrobial resistance, antifungal therapy, evidence-based decision-making, and medical applications of artificial intelligence. He holds a Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence and is the creator of The Honest Dose, a blog addressing medical misinformation.
Next Meeting
Bacteriophage Therapeutics: Back to the Future?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health challenge that is making many bacterial infections increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics. As resistance continues to rise, there is an urgent need for new approaches to fighting these infections. This presentation will provide an overview of the growing threat of AMR and its impact on healthcare around the world. It will introduce bacteriophages (phages)—viruses that naturally target and kill bacteria—and explore their potential as a new tool for treating antibiotic-resistant infections. The session will discuss the key challenges that must be overcome before phage therapy can become a widely available treatment, including the need for more clinical research, regulatory approval, and standardized approaches to care.
Presenter
IDSA Information
IDSA 2027 Community of Leaders Program
IDSA’s Community of Leaders program, a hybrid leadership development pathway for mid- and senior-career ID/HIV professionals across the health care team, is accepting applications for the 2027 program. Learn more and apply for the program by Dec. 3.
Program participants use a leadership assessment tool, guided coaching, asynchronous learning and an applied in-person capstone to strengthen their leadership behaviors, improve communication and conflict skills, and outline a meaningful workplace change initiative.
For ID leaders who are entering, expanding or strengthening their leadership responsibilities, Community of Leaders is a unique opportunity to learn and grow alongside a cohort of peers who understand the leadership challenges and opportunities particular to the field of ID/HIV.
Know a leader in your professional network? Nominate a colleague to apply for Community of Leaders by Nov. 27. Nominees are sent an invitation to apply and, if accepted, receive a $250 discount on the program registration fee.
Advocacy
Join the Advocacy Committee Listserv
Click the link below to be added to the Google group for the Advocacy Committee. Articles pertaining to advocacy interests will be posted and discussed here. Please note that you must be logged into a Google account to join the group.
Interactive Advocacy Training
Join IDSA and HIVMA public policy and advocacy experts for an interactive advocacy training ahead of IDWeek on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 4-8 p.m. ET, at the Washington, D.C., Marriott Marquis. Attendees will learn how to effectively engage Congress to advance ID/HIV policy priorities. This session is great for anyone brand new to advocacy and anyone with advocacy experience who is looking to sharpen their skills. Please encourage your colleagues and trainees to join us!
As slots are limited, IDSA and HIVMA are charging a small fee in addition to IDWeek registration to secure your spot. Proceeds from this IDWeek-affiliated event will go to the IDSA Foundation to support ongoing efforts to advance ID/HIV priorities. The ticket price includes refreshments and dinner.
ID Week
Are you attending ID Week in October?
Please fill out the form below to let us know if you are attending ID Week in Washington D.C. this October. IDSTL will be providing nametag ribbons for all IDSTL members attending ID Week. The ribbons will be distributed at the September program, but if you are unable to attend the ribbons can be mailed to your address. To ensure you have a ribbon available, please click below.
ID Week 2026 Travel Scholarship
IDSTL is pleased to offer a $500 scholarship to help offset travel expenses for a Member--in-training who is attending ID Week 2026. If you’re planning to attend, we encourage you to learn more about the scholarship opportunity and submit your application.
