Celebrating the Winners of the 6th Annual Global Prebiotic Association Researcher Grant
We are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Global Prebiotic Association Researcher Grant! This year, we recognize two exceptional researchers for their outstanding contributions to the field of prebiotics. In our mission to guide the responsible growth of the prebiotic category globally, we at the GPA understand the vital role played by young and emerging researchers. We are proud to continue expanding our global network, encompassing industry, academics, and practitioners.
We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our internal and external judges, including academics, researchers, and industry experts, for their invaluable time and insights.
Join us in celebrating these individuals and the growing community!
Young Researcher Award for Fundamental/Primary Research
Rikeish R. Muralitharan, MD, PhD
DDr Rikeish R Muralitharan is a Research Fellow at Monash University leading a program that uncovers how gut-derived signals shape cardiovascular function. His discoveries established a receptor-level mechanism linking microbial metabolites to blood pressure control (R Muralitharan et al., Circulation Research 2025), revealing new pathways driving hypertension. He now translates these findings into clinical studies and therapeutic development, including a next-generation fibre supplement and the GRAINS-BP trial. He collaborates widely across Australia and internationally, with a strong focus on mechanisms, clinical impact, and accessible innovation. His work has been recognised through national and international awards (finalist for 23 awards, winning 17), competitive funding (>$400,000), major media coverage, and growing industry and clinical partnerships.
Study Overview:
Dr. Muralitharan’s research, conducted at Monash University’s Hypertension Research Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia, investigates how short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by gut microbiota regulate blood pressure and protect against cardiovascular and renal disease. His study revealed that the SCFA receptors GPR41 and GPR43 are essential mediators of cardiorenal health; mice lacking these receptors developed significantly elevated blood pressure, greater cardiac and renal fibrosis, and heightened immune infiltration under cardiovascular stress, while prebiotic fiber diets that restored SCFA production provided meaningful protection against these outcomes. This work identifies a previously unrecognized gut-to-cardiovascular axis and highlights the potential for prebiotic dietary interventions to play a role in managing hypertension and its associated complications.
Young Researcher Award for Applied Research
Daria Igudesman, PhD
Dr. Daria Igudesman is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute in Orlando, FL. She completed her PhD in Nutrition with a minor in Epidemiology and Registered Dietitian training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on host-diet-gut microbiome interactions in the treatment of obesity and insulin resistance, including in people with diabetes. Dr. Igudesman is interested in harnessing the power of controlled feeding studies to investigate the effects of diet-driven alterations in microbial metabolites on clinical endpoints such as glycemic excursions and metabolic flexibility.
Study Overview:
Dr. Igudesman’s research, conducted at the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute, examines how a high-fiber, minimally processed diet shapes the gut microbiome and its contribution to human energy balance. Using a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding study design, her work demonstrated that a Microbiome Enhancer Diet (MBD) induced a negative energy balance driven by increased fecal energy loss and greater microbial biomass compared to a calorie-matched, low-fiber Western diet. A comprehensive metabolomics analysis spanning fecal, serum, and urinary metabolite profiles further illuminated how specific metabolite networks are linked to changes in energy absorption and microbial activity. This research deepens our understanding of how prebiotic dietary patterns shape metabolic outcomes and opens new avenues for using the gut microbiome as a tool in managing energy balance.
Congratulations to Dr. Muralitharan and Dr. Igudesman for their outstanding work! Their studies advance our understanding of how prebiotics influence cardiovascular health, metabolic function, and the gut microbiome, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact of their research on the field.
