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Professor Liam Smeeth, the Director of the ������app of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has been made a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for his services to public health and education.

From debunking the myth that MMR vaccine causes autism to using ‘big data’ in innovative ways to reveal the disproportionate impact of COVID-19, his clinical and academic career has made a significant impact on patient care and policy.

Professor Smeeth published a seminal paper in 2004 which refuted claims of links between MMR vaccine and autism, and led to a crucial recovery in vaccine uptake.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-led the creation of a groundbreaking secure analytics platform known as OpenSAFELY. This collaboration with the Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science at Oxford University allowed NHS electronic records to be analysed to answer urgent questions on factors such as age, ethnicity and disability in determining risk of severe illness and uncover vital evidence about the virus, and is still widely used by researchers for a host of diseases today.

Other research and academic contributions include investigating side effects of statins, as well as providing expertise to a number of key academic and health bodies.

Over the last 20 years at LSHTM, Professor Smeeth has taught and mentored hundreds of postgraduate students in public health and epidemiology, many of whom are now leaders in their fields around the world.

In 2021 he became Director of LSHTM, with a strong focus on creating a supportive and inclusive environment for staff and students in the face of numerous global challenges.

He has spoken about issues including LSHTM’s decolonising work, called for more action on climate and health, and warned of the risk of measures to strengthen pandemic preparedness being undermined by misinformation.

Professor Smeeth said: “This is truly an honour for the whole of LSHTM, reflecting the great work done by the people here over many years. In these difficult times for public and global health, it is great the field gets this recognition.”

Don Robert, Chair of Council at LSHTM, said: “Liam has made a huge impact on public health, with wide-ranging research and policy work leading to improved care, treatment and outcomes for people all over the world. This deserves recognition so I’m delighted that he has been honoured in this way.

“There is no doubt that he lives and breathes the LSHTM mission of improving health worldwide. We are fortunate to have his leadership at this critical time for public and global health.”