pierfrancesco grima | Medical Microbiology | Advancing Patient Care through Research Award

Dr. pierfrancesco grima | Medical Microbiology | Advancing Patient Care through Research Award

Medical director at local health authority of the province of LECCE, Italy

Dr. Pierfrancesco Grima is a distinguished physician and researcher specializing in infectious diseases, with over two decades of clinical, academic, and scientific expertise. His career spans across major hospitals and research institutions in Italy, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and infectious comorbidities. He holds high-level professional positions in both clinical and academic spheres and contributes extensively to scientific literature and international research collaborations. He has played a pivotal role in the clinical management of infectious diseases, mentoring students and professionals while participating in key clinical trials and international conferences.

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Education

Dr. Grima earned his Medical Degree from the University of Parma, followed by specialized training in Respiratory Diseases and Infectious & Parasitic Diseases, both completed with honors. He completed a doctoral program in Clinical and Biological Aspects of Infectious Diseases at the Catholic University of Rome. His academic path includes a Fellowship in Molecular Biochemistry in Frankfurt and a post-graduate diploma in Healthcare Management from the University of Lecce, emphasizing risk management in health institutions. This robust academic foundation laid the groundwork for his integrated approach to research, teaching, and clinical practice.

Experience

Since 2017, Dr. Grima has served as a permanent Medical Director at the Infectious Diseases Unit of “Vito Fazzi” Hospital in Lecce. His daily responsibilities include inpatient care, emergency consultations, and specialty services in hepatology and sexually transmitted infections. He also manages the HIV center and the Infectious Diseases Clinic for Pregnant Women. Prior to this, he worked for over 16 years at the Galatina Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Unit. He has collaborated with the National Research Council’s Institute of Clinical Physiology and the University of Salento, contributing to multidisciplinary research initiatives. Additionally, Dr. Grima has trained healthcare staff in infection control, in alignment with national legislation.

Research Interest

His research interests lie in the intersection of infectious diseases and chronic comorbidities, particularly the cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurocognitive complications of HIV. He has investigated antiretroviral therapy effectiveness, liver fibrosis, and biomarkers of subclinical atherosclerosis. He is also engaged in epidemiological studies, exploring disease prevalence, vaccine efficacy, and public health surveillance. Dr. Grima’s interdisciplinary approach merges clinical observation with advanced imaging and laboratory methods, aiming to enhance diagnostic precision and therapeutic strategies in infectious medicine.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Grima has earned various recognitions for his contributions to research and healthcare. He holds an “Incarico di Alta Professionalità” (High Professional Responsibility Appointment) and serves on multiple expert and editorial committees. He is a peer reviewer for prominent journals such as Vaccines, Viruses, Pathogens, and Diagnostics, and has been a guest editor for Vaccines. His active participation in numerous multicentric clinical studies (e.g., ICONA, ATLAS, GUSTA) reflects his standing in the global infectious disease research community.

Publications

Dr. Grima has published extensively in high-impact journals, with an h-index of 22 and over 5,000 citations. Below are seven notable publications:

Grima P. et al. “Increased ophthalmic artery resistance index is associated with cognitive impairment in HIV-infected patients.” J Infect, 2012; cited by 97 articles.

Grima P. et al. “Altered phosphate metabolism in HIV-1-infected patients with metabolic syndrome.” Scand J Infect Dis, 2012; cited by 58 articles.

Fabbiani M, Grima P. et al. “Atazanavir/ritonavir with lamivudine as maintenance therapy in HIV-infected patients: 96-week outcomes.” J Antimicrob Chemother, 2018; cited by 74 articles.

Grima P. et al. “Ultrasound-assessed perirenal fat and ophthalmic artery resistance in HIV-1 patients.” Cardiovasc Ultrasound, 2010; cited by 63 articles.

Guido M, Grima P. et al. “Human metapneumovirus and bocavirus in respiratory infections.” Virology, 2011; cited by 88 articles.

Grima P. et al. “Routine ultrasound-guided vs. echo-assisted biopsy in chronic hepatitis.” Radiol Med, 2008; cited by 35 articles.

Ciccarelli N, Grima P. et al. “Liver fibrosis and cognitive impairment in HIV patients.” Infection, 2019; cited by 66 articles.

Conclusion

Dr. Grima’s multidimensional expertise—ranging from patient bedside care to policy-level interventions and groundbreaking research—makes him exceptionally suited for the Research for Advancing Patient Care through Research Award. His translational approach to infectious disease management, coupled with his consistent academic output, has had a lasting impact on both individual patient outcomes and the broader medical community. His work exemplifies how research can directly elevate standards of care, particularly in vulnerable and complex patient populations.

Maria Gheorghe | Public Health & Epidemiology | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Maria Gheorghe | Public Health & Epidemiology | Best Researcher Award

Director at Pfizer Inc, Romania

Maria Gheorghe is an accomplished expert in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) with over 14 years of impactful contributions spanning academia, research institutions, and the pharmaceutical industry. Currently serving as Director of Global HTA, Value and Evidence at Pfizer Inc., she has led high-stakes initiatives in antimicrobial resistance, oncology, and vaccine access. Her career reflects a commitment to evidence-based healthcare, strategic market access, and policy transformation at both national and international levels.

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Education

Maria Gheorghe holds a PhD in Health Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam, where her doctoral work focused on quantitative approaches to monitoring population quality of life, particularly modeling and evaluating health utility data. She also earned an MSc in Applied Mathematics from Delft University of Technology, where she explored advanced Bayesian methods in reservoir simulation. Her academic foundation began with a BSc in Economics, majoring in Cybernetics, Statistics, and Economics, from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. This combination of mathematical rigor and economic insight has uniquely positioned her to address complex health policy challenges.

Professional Experience

Maria’s career is marked by a progressive trajectory through key roles in industry and academia. Since June 2022, she has led global value and evidence generation strategies at Pfizer for the launch of EMBLAVEO, a next-generation anti-infective. She has been instrumental in coordinating cross-functional global teams and external stakeholders to secure optimal pricing and reimbursement frameworks across various healthcare systems. Prior to this, she contributed to oncology strategy, particularly supporting the global launch of Talzenna + Xtandi for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). From 2019 to 2022, she held national responsibilities as Health & Value Manager for Pfizer Romania, where she led the market access strategies for Eliquis, Paxlovid, and hospital brands. Earlier roles at Sanofi in market access and public affairs allowed her to shape reimbursement policies and build influential partnerships. Her formative experience as a researcher at Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management laid the groundwork for her methodical and evidence-driven approach to health economics.

Research Interests

Maria’s research interests span real-world evidence, cost-effectiveness modeling, and antimicrobial resistance policy. She is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between epidemiological modeling and reimbursement systems, advancing HTA frameworks that integrate the societal value of novel therapeutics. Her recent work leverages machine learning and big data to inform pricing models for anti-infectives and supports innovative reimbursement agreements based on value-based healthcare principles.

Awards and Recognition

Maria has earned significant recognition for her strategic leadership and research excellence. She played a pivotal role in the UK’s innovative reimbursement scheme for anti-infectives—a global case study in AMR policy reform. She has also been commended internally at Pfizer for her contributions to cross-functional evidence planning and real-world data integration. Her academic achievements include graduating top of her MSc cohort at Delft and securing competitive research roles across Europe.

Selected Publications

Gheorghe M. et al. (2020). Economic evaluation of novel antibiotics: challenges and recommendations. Value in Health. Cited by 34 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2019). Modeling transmission in cost-effectiveness studies: the case of antimicrobial resistance. Pharmacoeconomics. Cited by 21 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2018). Quality of life trajectories in chronic disease populations: a longitudinal analysis. Health Economics. Cited by 16 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2017). Bayesian approaches in population health modeling. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy. Cited by 12 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2016). Comparative methods for population-level health utility estimation. European Journal of Health Economics. Cited by 10 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2015). A meta-analysis of EQ-5D values across disease groups. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care. Cited by 9 articles.

Gheorghe M. et al. (2014). Cost-effectiveness of vaccines in emerging markets. Vaccine. Cited by 17 articles.

Conclusion

Maria Gheorghe embodies the qualities of a top-tier researcher—intellectual excellence, strategic impact, innovation in health policy, and a commitment to public health advancement. Her accomplishments in research, leadership in evidence-based strategies, and contributions to global health challenges make her a highly deserving recipient of the Best Researcher Award.