The International Epidemiological Association (IEA) has announced that David Barker, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine and Senior Scientist in the Heart Research Center has been selected to receive the 2011 Richard Doll Prize in Epidemiology.

Dr. Barker is a world-renowned physician and professor who pioneered the theory linking fetal malnutrition to chronic adult disease. In 2003 he joined Kent Thornburg, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, and director of the OHSU Heart Research Center to study how nutrition and growth before birth and during early childhood alter the development of the heart.

“The Doll prize recognizes David Barker’s powerful epidemiological studies showing how common degrees of maternal nutrition change the course of human development and set into motion the chronic diseases that plague the aging human race,” said Dr. Thornburg. “His prominence in the fields of epidemiology and nutrition bring attention to OHSU’s leadership in these areas of medicine.”

According to IEA, the prize is awarded to an epidemiologist of the highest scientific standard in an active part of his/her career. The recipient is honored for scientific achievements that have advanced our understanding of the determinants of a disease of importance for health in populations through a body of research that may involve a series of studies, rather than a single publication.

Awarded on a triennial basis, the prize and will be presented at the IEA World Congress of Epidemiology this summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dr. Barker was recently honored by the March of Dimes for outstanding achievement in the field of maternal-fetal nutrition and the International Danone Prize for outstanding achievements in nutrition.