About Sergio

Sergio Pistoi is a molecular biologist, journalist and writer.

He graduated in Biology in Turin and obtained a PhD degree in molecular biology from the Marie Curie University in Paris working on the stability of mRNA in transgenic organisms at the Pasteur Institute. He was a contract professor of Biochemistry at the University of Turin.

In 1998, he merged his two passions, science and communication, into one profession. He was an intern at Scientific American, a fellow journalist at the Harvard Medical School and a stringer for Reuters Health.

His journalistic credits include Scientific American, the New Scientist, The Lancet, Nature, the US National Public Radio (NPR) and many other international and Italian outlets. He is a member of the US National Association of Science Writers, the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) and the Italian Journalists’ Board. He served on the Public Education Committee at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).

Since 1998 he  has worked  a communication consultant for companies, research charities and academic institutions. He is  the founder of  Greedybrain, a boutique communication agency for science and technology.

In 2019 he published DNA NATION: How the Internet of Genes is Changing Your Life  (Crux Publishing) the first popular science book to address all aspect of consumer genomics and DNA social networks.

In 2013 he was awarded the Premio Letterario Galileo (the most prestigious literary award for science in Italy) for the book Il DNA Incontra Facebook  (Marsilio Editori, 2012).

An engaging speaker, he regularly gives public talks and courses and presents at festivals and meetings.

Articles
Speaking & Teaching
Media Appearances

When not underwater or traveling,  Sergio can be found at his home  in Tuscany, not far from Rome and Florence. 

Awards

• 2013: Winner, Galileo Literary Prize
• 2002: Grantee, Armenise-Harvard journalistic fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
• 2000: Finalist, European Genetics Foundation award for the best reporting on genetics.
• 1991-1998: Research grants and fellowships from Human Frontier, Association Recherche pour le Cancer, Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro, Telethon.