As research and development director at PharmExtracta, co-founder of Velleja Research and president of the Microbiota International Clinical Society, Professor Di Pierro has dedicated his career to microbiome science, probiotic research and botanical nutraceuticals.
He has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers and developed over 400 patents related to nutraceutical extraction technologies, bioavailability enhancement and microbiome modulation.
“Professor Francesco Di Pierro is a leading force in nutraceutical innovation,” said Elena Fava, international product manager at PharmExtracta. “His impact extends from scientifically validated formulations to groundbreaking research and education. His work in precision probiotics has revolutionized microbiome modulation strategies [and] his expertise in phytotherapy and nutraceutical formulation has established new quality benchmarks for bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.”
Upon accepting his award at the NutraIngredients VIP Party in Barcelona, Professor Di Pierro said: “Well, I am certainly proud! It was an experience that was both beautiful and emotional.”
“The award itself is generally a great recognition given to those who seek to spread culture, innovation and obtain scientific data to support their hypotheses in the field of nutrition and nutraceuticals.”
A 30-year career
After completing his PhD in Immunology at the University of Turin, Professor Di Pierro began his career in the 1990s. Since then, he has held a range of roles spanning medical clinics, outpatient care, scientific publishing, and project management.
Currently, he holds seven posts, all while actively researching and developing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical innovations.
Speaking on the accomplishment he is most proud of to date, Professor Di Pierro said: “My main satisfactions have been those related to the development of food-compatible formulas that allow for better oral bioavailability of active ingredients of herbal origin.”
“[In addition], those related to understanding the mechanisms that explain the possible clinical success of specific probiotics in relation to their tissue colonization capabilities, with particular reference to the colonization of oral and vaginal tissues, with specific probiotics for the oral cavity, vaginal mucosa and intestines.”
With a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, Professor Di Pierro has also trained thousands of healthcare professionals through CME-accredited courses to help practitioners better understand the role of nutraceuticals in clinical settings. This, he says, is one of his key motivations for driving the nutraceutical field forward.
“The world of medicine has always reaped resounding successes and most of us are alive—or have a better quality of life—thanks to the use of these tools," he said. “However, powerful drugs often have important side effects. The use of the nutraceutical, administered in add-on therapy, can keep the final yield of the therapy high by calming the adverse effects and at the same time prolonging the duration of the drugs.
“In this sense, the highly scientific development of some nutraceuticals, robustly studied and clinically documented, can play a role—at least in pathologies that are not extremely serious.”
‘Unparalleled contributions’ to science, industry and healthcare
Now, one of Professor Di Pierro’s main focuses is tackling antibiotic resistance and developing safe, effective nutraceutical solutions that support antibiotic therapies and reduce the need for excessive antibiotic use.
For some years, he has been working towards isolating particular probiotic strains to reconstruct a condition of eubiosis (balancing the gut microbiota) in dysbiotic patients.
“I am currently working on the development of engineered bacterial strains that have greater performance and capacity for antagonism towards pathogens to reduce the need for antibiotic therapy,” he said. “[I am also exploring] their vaccinotherapy capabilities to be used in subjects who do not like the very idea of an injectable vaccine.”
Fava, who works closely with Professor Di Pierro at PharmExtracta, says this unwavering dedication to the field makes him a worthy winner of the award.
“For his unparalleled contributions to science, industry and healthcare, Professor Di Pierro is an exceptional candidate for the NutraChampion Award 2025,” she said.
