The prestigious Jaccard-EFP Research Prize was in the spotlight at EuroPerio11 in Vienna, celebrating outstanding contributions to periodontal science. Awarded every three years by the EFP in collaboration with the Jaccard Foundation of the University of Geneva, this highly competitive prize recognises exceptional research conducted by junior and mid-career investigators across Europe.
The 2025 edition of the Jaccard-EFP Research Prize attracted 16 manuscript submissions from researchers affiliated with national societies that are full members of the EFP. Following a rigorous selection process, three outstanding projects were honoured during a special session presided over by Professors Panos Papapanou (chair of the jury) and James Deschner.
Julien Santi-Rocca of the Science and Healthcare for Oral Welfare institution in Toulouse, France, and his collaborators from Spain and Canada, took home the first prize for their manuscript “Microbial complexes in subgingival plaque: a bacterial metataxonomic study.” Using advanced metataxonomic analysis, the study identified distinct bacterial complexes, with some linked to health and others to disease. These findings offer a new framework for understanding microbial shifts in periodontal disease and suggest a microbial risk scale to complement current diagnostic systems.
Priya Bahal and her team from King’s College London, UK, won second prize for their study on grade III furcations - challenging periodontal defects with poor prognosis and no clear treatment guidelines. This feasibility trial, the first in periodontology to use a SMART (Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomised Trial) design, assessed both clinical outcomes and patient experience. Surgical treatment led to greater pocket depth reduction than repeated non-surgical periodontal treatment after six months. The study also underscored the value of patient-reported outcome measures, which sometimes diverged from clinical findings, and was the first in the field to include a co-investigator from the public.
The third prize went to Paolo Ghensi and colleagues from the University of Trento, Italy, for their manuscript “Shotgun metagenomics identifies in a cross-sectional setting improved plaque microbiome biomarkers for peri-implant diseases.” Using high-resolution metagenomic sequencing and machine learning, the study identified taxonomic and functional microbiome profiles that could help distinguish between healthy implants, mucositis, and peri-implantitis, enhancing early diagnosis and risk assessment.
Jury chair Prof Papapanou said: "The Jaccard-EFP Research Prize showcases the exceptional quality and innovation of periodontal research being carried out across Europe. This year’s submissions were particularly impressive, reflecting a strong commitment to both scientific excellence and clinical relevance."
The prizes are substantial, with CHF 10,000, CHF 6,000, and CHF 4,000 for the first, second, and third places, respectively, but the Jaccard-EFP Research Prize is more than a financial award, it is a recognition of excellence and a career milestone for emerging researchers in periodontology. The three manuscripts will be published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology. Evaluation criteria include the scientific merit of the manuscript, the impact and originality of the research, and the quality of the oral presentation and discussions.
By promoting innovative research and supporting the next generation of scientists, the EFP and the Jaccard Foundation continue to play a crucial role in advancing knowledge and improving clinical care in periodontology. The recent awards demonstrated the diverse, and forward-thinking nature of periodontal research in Europe.
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