Purpose & People

Pharmabiotic Research Institute (PRI) | EU Microbiome Regulatory Science Center

The Pharmabiotic Research Institute (PRI) is Europe’s first Microbiome Regulatory Science expertise center – our purpose is to support and foster the development of innovative therapeutic and diagnostic products emerging from microbiome science, by bridging stakeholders in industry, academia, and EU regulatory representatives, for both human and veterinary medicine.

Our mission is to educate and contribute to the conditions of success for future medicinal innovations emerging from microbiome science by supporting and communicating on regulatory science developments within and outside of our ecosystem.

Our ultimate objective: see these therapeutic innovations achieve EU marketing authorization, thereby giving European patients access to registered microbiome-based medicinal products or validated diagnostics.

To realize this vision, we apply a collaborative method called the Share & Learn Approach – a pre-competitive process which combines microbiome expertise with strong regulatory science principles. These efforts are fundamental to identifying and confirming the specific requirements for the development of microbiome-based medicinal products.

Founded in 2010 by microbiologists from industry and academia, we operate as an independent, non-profit organization, employing only full-time paid staff, and adhering to a transparent governance structure, required by French law according to our corporate status (association loi 1901). This ensures that we avoid any overt conflict of interest when interacting with national and European regulatory authorities.

Governance

All PRI Members nominate an Official Member Representative – this individual represents the Member Organization during the annual General Assembly, and may represent their organization on the Board of Directors.

Each PRI Member, regardless of member type, has one vote in elections (General Assembly, Board members).

Executive Committee
(2022 – 2024)

Sandrine Claus
President
Principal, Microbiome Consulting Service

Bruno Pot
1st Vice President
Science Director, Yakult Europe
Professor, VUB

   

Michelle Carr
2nd Vice President

Senior Growth Project Manager,
Ferring Pharmaceuticals

   

Stanislas Desjonquères
Treasurer
CEO, Nexbiome Therapeutics

   

Françoise Le Vacon
Secretary

CSO,
Biofortis SAS

   

Board of Directors
(2022 – 2024)

Jelena Cvejic
Director Translational Science,
Accelsiors CRO

   

Gerardo Rivas Parafita
Senior Associate | Regulatory Compliance & Performance,
ADM

   

Nail Nasir
Scientific Manager,
Astel Medica

   

Luc Sterkman
Founder & CEO,
Caelus Health

   

Karine Roget
Interim CSO,
everImmune

   

Patrick Veiga
Research Director,
INRAE (MetaGenoPolis)

   

Sylvie Binda
Vice President R&D,
Lallemand Health Solutions
   
Markus Rinecker
Co-founder & Managing Director,
mbiomics GmbH

   

Selin Bolca
Director Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing,
MRM Health NV

   

Tomas de Wouters
Co-founder & CEO,
PharmaBiome AG

   

Marco Pane
R&D Director,
Probiotical Research

   

Massimo Marzorati
CEO, ProDigest BV

   

Stephanie Bornes
Professor,
UMRF-Aurillac (UCA-INRAE)

   

Ana Palmeira de Oliveira
Invited Professor,
University of Beira Interior

   

Staff

Céline Druart
Executive Director

   

Julie Rodriguez
OMICS Project Manager

   

Joseph Simmons
Business Operations Manager