Professor Matthias Egger is a distinguished leader in epidemiological research and public health policy with a distinguished academic career spanning multiple prestigious institutions. He currently holds the position of Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Bern in Switzerland where he has been a faculty member since 2002 and previously served as Director of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine for a decade. His academic journey began with clinical training at the University of Bern followed by specialized education at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine establishing his foundation in evidence-based medicine. From 2017 to 2024 Professor Egger served as president of the Research Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation demonstrating his significant influence in shaping national research priorities and funding strategies across scientific disciplines.
Professor Egger's most influential contribution to scientific methodology came in 1997 with his seminal paper describing the funnel plot technique for detecting publication bias in meta-analyses which has received over 38,600 citations as of 2022 and has become a standard tool in evidence synthesis worldwide. His rigorous approach to clinical research was further demonstrated in a high-profile 2005 Lancet study comparing 110 trials of homeopathy with conventional medicine which provided compelling evidence that conventional treatments maintained efficacy in large well-designed trials while homeopathic effects disappeared under similar scrutiny. Beyond methodological innovations his research portfolio spans diverse public health domains including epidemiological investigations into aircraft noise exposure and cardiovascular risk demographic analyses of assisted suicide practices and evaluations of pneumococcal vaccine effectiveness reflecting his commitment to addressing complex health questions with methodological precision.
As a thought leader Professor Egger has profoundly shaped contemporary epidemiological practice through his methodological contributions and leadership in major research initiatives across Europe. His work has established new standards for evaluating evidence quality influencing systematic review protocols used by organizations such as the Cochrane Collaboration and national health technology assessment bodies. With over 584,000 total citations his scholarly impact extends beyond academia into clinical practice guidelines and public health policy decisions worldwide. Professor Egger continues to advance the field through his ongoing research at the University of Bern mentoring the next generation of epidemiologists and contributing his expertise to international scientific advisory panels ensuring his enduring influence on evidence-based medicine and public health practice for years to come.
