Interview with Dr. David Rios-Covian - Winner of the 2025 MRR High-Impact Paper Award
On March 3, 2026, Microbiome Research Reports (MRR) had the privilege of interviewing Dr. David Rios-Covian, recipient of the 2025 MRR High-Impact Paper Award. Dr. Rios-Covian is Director of Technology Development, Microviable Therapeutics S.L., Spain. In this interview, he shared insights on gut microbiota metabolism, key advances and challenges in microbiome-based therapies, and the translation of microbiome research into practical applications, highlighting the intersection of fundamental science and translational research.
"Past, present, and future of microbiome-based therapies"
by Pilar Manrique, Ignacio Montero, Marta Fernandez-Gosende, Noelia Martinez, Claudio Hidalgo Cantabrana, David Rios-Covian
DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2023.80
Watch the full interview with Dr. David Rios-Covian:
Interview Questions:
Q1. Your work focuses on the gut microbiota and its metabolic functions. Which key questions or discoveries have most shaped your research path?Q2. In your award-winning article on the past, present, and future of microbiome therapies, what do you see as the most important scientific advances in the field today?
Q3. Where are the main knowledge gaps in our understanding of microbe-host interactions, and which basic research areas deserve more attention?
Q4. Based on your industry experience, what are the biggest scientific or technical challenges in translating microbiome research into real-world applications or products?
Q5. How does research in industry differ from academia in terms of goals and working style, and has this changed your perspective on science?
Q6. In the next decade, where do you expect microbiome-based therapies to make the greatest impact?
About the Interviewee:
Dr. Rios-Covian obtained his BS in Biology (2010) and MS in Food Biotechnology (2011) from the University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain, followed by a PhD in Biology (2016) focusing on metabolic interactions among members of the commensal microbiota. During his postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, USA, he studied microbe-host interactions in the context of mucosal immunology and DNA damage responses. He later joined the MICALIS Institute, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Jouy-en-Josas, France, where he investigated microbe-host interactions during early-life immune system development. Dr. Rios-Covian's research continues to focus on host-microbiome relationships, with an emphasis on understanding microbial metabolism and translating these insights into potential therapeutic strategies.
Editor: Lauren Lv
Language Editor: Catherine Yang
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Microbiome Research Reports
