He was trained at the Rome University “La Sapienza”. His main topics of interest are skin biochemistry, free radicals mediated damage of the skin, mechanism of control of skin pigmentation, and pigmentary disorders. As chairperson of the Integrated Center of Metabolomic Research (CIRM) at the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, from 1999 till 2021, coordinate lipidomic studies on acne and related disorders (seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea) in sebum and blood samples.

He was the Scientific Director of the IRCCS San Gallicano from 1999 t0 2006.The main topics of interest are skin biochemistry, free radicals mediated damage of the skin, sebogenesis, mechanism of control of skin pigmentation, depigmenting agents, vitiligo. He coordinates lipidomic studies on acne and related disorders (seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea) in sebum and blood samples.

The studies lead to clarify mechanisms of control of lipidogenesis and to identify possible therapeutic targets. His group has defined several collaborations with national and international research His group has defined several collaborations with national and international research groups.

He has served in the Board of national (SIDEMAST) and International (EIS, ESDR, ESPCR, IFPCS) scientific societies. In collaboration with Alain Taieb chair the Vitiligo European Task Force and the Pigmentary disorders group of the EADV.

Professor Picardo was the organizer of several national and international conferences (like the successful Vitiligo International Symposium held in Rome in Dec 2016) and he is member of the Editorial Board of some dermatological and biochemical journals including Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research and Experimental Dermatology.

He is author of more than 350 publications in peer reviewed journals (H index 82) and of more than 30 chapters in different books. From 2022 professor of Dermatology at University UNICAMILLUS