The American Studies Center has awarded the PAIR Prize 2025 in the field of Scientific, Technical and Technological Sciences to Professor Camillo Ricordi, one of the world’s leading researchers in diabetes and regenerative medicine.

Prof. Ricordi’s groundbreaking research has made it possible to understand many of the key pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetes. He developed the technology to extract hundreds of thousands of pancreatic islets — the insulin-producing cells — from donor pancreases, and successfully conducted the first islet transplants as a treatment for diabetes.

In 2021, he led the international team that completed the first FDA-approved controlled study for treating severe COVID-19 cases using infusions of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) derived from the umbilical cords of healthy newborns.

His research group has also developed pioneering cell therapy systems based on stem cell-derived cellular therapies to cure diabetes and combat chronic disease and premature aging.

Professor Ricordi’s work stands as a global reference point, exemplifying how cooperation between Italy and the United States can translate into scientific progress and renewed hope for millions of patients worldwide.

For these achievements, the American Studies Center proudly confers upon him the PAIR Prize 2025.