Medical Research Council Millennium Medal awarded to Bristol BRC Scientific Director

One of the most influential figures in modern epidemiology, Professor George Davey Smith, has been awarded the UKRI Medical Research Council’s prestigious personal award for his exceptional contributions to improving human health through world-class medical research.

George Davey-Smith, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Bristol and Scientific Director of the Bristol BRC, is credited with revolutionising the use of genetic data to understand causal relationships in population health. He has pioneered the development and application of Mendelian randomisation, a technique that uses genetic variation to test the causal effects of modifiable risk factors on disease.

He has also championed the idea of “triangulation,” using different types of evidence together to get a clearer picture of cause and effect. His work has influenced not only academic research but also public health policy and clinical practice, helping to prevent misguided interventions based on flawed assumptions.

Professor Patrick Chinnery, MRC Executive Chair, said:

“Professor Davey Smith’s innovations have reshaped how we understand the mechanisms of common human diseases. By combining genetic epidemiology with the principles of causal inference, he pioneered new methods to separate cause from effect in large-scale population studies, informing health policy and intervention strategies worldwide.

“George has set a standard for transparency, collaboration and intellectual rigour across disciplines, from genomics to public health, and his work has had a profound impact on the way researchers design, analyse and interpret data way beyond his own field.”

Since the late 1980s, Professor Davey Smith’s work has highlighted how confounding and measurement error could mislead interpretations of observational studies. This has helped to resolve major debates, such as whether HDL cholesterol or moderate drinking really protect against heart disease.

Alongside his methodological work, Professor Davey Smith has made major contributions to understanding health inequalities. He was the second principal investigator of Children of the 90s, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Through ALSPAC and other projects, he has led landmark studies showing how social, behavioural, and biological factors combine to influence health from childhood through adulthood to old age.

Professor Davey Smith said:

“It’s a great honour to receive the MRC Millennium Medal. I’ve had the good fortune to work with an amazing multidisciplinary and multinational group of colleagues over several decades, and the award reflects a collective endeavor to improve approaches to understand what causes disease at the individual and population level.”

As Director of the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, he has built an internationally-recognised centre for causal inference research and trained a generation of scientists in rigorous population health methods.

Professor Davey Smith is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences, a member of the US National Academy of Medicine, the first shoe-leather epidemiologist to be elected as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization and among the most highly recognised scientists worldwide.

Professor Davey Smith will be presented with the MRC Millennium Medal, which this year marks its 25th anniversary, at a ceremony this week. As part of the celebration, he will deliver a lecture on his career and the continuing evolution of causal inference in epidemiology.

Professor Guy Poppy, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Bristol, said:

“This highly revered award is a fitting recognition of Professor Davey Smith’s tremendous and truly unique contributions to world-class medical research spanning 40 years. His work has transformed our understanding of causal relationships in population health and greatly advanced evidence-based prevention, shaping global approaches to public health.

“His tireless commitment to champion open science and data accessibility across the research community has made a hugely positive impact on human health and will continue to do so for generations to come. Professor Davey Smith is an inspiration to scientists across the world and I congratulate him on this outstanding achievement.”