Kirjoittajasta

1.3. 2021

Toimin Turun yliopiston bakteeriopin professorina (2010-) sekä Turun yliopistollisen keskussairaalan laboratoriotoimialueen (kliininen mikrobiologia) ylilääkärinä (2019-). Koulutukseltani olen kliinisen mikrobiologian erikoislääkäri.

Ennen nykyisiä tehtäviä toimin Turun yliopiston lääketieteellisen tiedekunnan päätoimisena dekaanina (2014-2019), varadekaanina (2012-2014), kliinis-teoreettisen laitoksen johtajana (2010-2011) ja useita jaksoja (1979-1989) Turun yliopiston lääketieteellisen mikrobiologian ja immunologian oppiaineen assistenttina ja apulaisopettaja (nyk. kliininen opettaja).

Kansanterveyslaitoksessa (1990-2008) sekä myöhemmin Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitoksessa (2009-2014) toimin ylilääkärinä, tutkimusprofessorina sekä osaston johtajana, johon tehtävään liittyi Kansanterveyslaitoksen johtoryhmän jäsenyys. Kansanterveyslehden päätoimittaja toimin 2004-2008.

Jatkokoulutusta olen saanut Yhdysvalloissa. Olin tutkimustyössä Harvard Medical School’issa Bostonissa 1986-87 (Infectious Disease Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital). Johtamistaidon koulutuksen sain Philadephiassa Wharton School’issa, joka on University of Pennsylvanian yhteydessä toimiva maineikas johtajien koulutuskeskus. Suoritin siellä Executive Development Program –ohjelman vuonna 2003.

Tieteellisiä julkaisuja ja kirjoituksia on kuluneen runsaan 30 vuoden aikana kertynyt noin 400. Olen ohjannut 21 väitöskirjatyötä ja toiminut vastaväittäjänä 22 kertaa.

Arvostetuin saamani ammatillinen tunnustus on Euroopan kliinisen mikrobiologian ja infektiotautien yhdistyksen vuonna 2008 minulle myöntämä Award of Excellence -palkinto (ks. Awardee 2008). Se myönnetään vuosittain yhdelle eurooppalaiselle tutkijalle. Yhteiskunnallisista palkinnoista arvostan erityisesti kesäkuun lopussa 2012 Suomen tietokirjailijat ry:n myöntämää korkeinta mahdollista tunnustusta Warelius-palkintoa. Kun tunnustuksen saa omalta viiteryhmältä, jotka tuntevat jäsentensä niin hyvät kuin huonotkin puolet, voi olla todella tyytyväinen.

Merkittävänä ammatillisena luottamustehtävänä voidaan myös pitää Helsingissä keväällä 2009 järjestetyn Euroopan kliinisen mikrobiologian ja infektiotautien kongressin presidentin tehtäviä (ks. ECCMID 2009). Kongressiin osallistui yli 8000 lääkäriä, tutkijaa ja alan asiantuntijaa 101 eri maasta. Kongressi on edelleen suurimpia Suomessa järjestettyjä kongresseja.

Curriculum Vitae

Pentti Huovinen, MD, PhD, FIDSA

Pentti Huovinen, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Bacteriology. In addition to University of Turku, he has worked more than 20 years in the National Institute of Health and Welfare as Physician in Chief and Research Professor, studied in Harvard Medical School, Boston, and in Wharton School, Philadelphia. His main research interests are various aspects of antibiotic resistance, surveillance of resistant bacteria, antibiotic use in the community and various health aspects of human microbiota. In 2008 he received Award of Excellence of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and in 2009 he was President of the 19th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, (ECCMID), Helsinki, Finland. He is Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA). In his home country he is known as an awarded science writer and speaker.

Work experience

2010-Present: Professor of Bacteriology, Medical Faculty, University of Turku, Finland; sabbatical period Aug 1, 2019 to July 31 2020;  Research topics: antibiotic resistance, antibiotic use, human microbiota and rapid and real-time diagnostics of infectious diseases

2019-Present: Physician in Chief at Turku University Hospital, Laboratory Section, Clinical Microbiology

2014-2019: Dean, Medical Faculty, University of Turku, Finland. Medical Faculty has 2700 students, more than 600 employees, and budget of about 50 million euros. Dean is leading the Faculty with three Vice Deans and Management Chief.

2012-2014: Vice Dean, Medical Faculty, University of Turku, Turku (Finland); Responsibility: infrastructure of the Medical Faculty; Member of the Council of the Medical Faculty and the Management Team of the Medical Faculty; Chair of the PR-committee of the faculty

2010-2014: Research Professor (part time 20%), National Institute of Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Turku (Finland); Member and representative of Finland in the Management Board of the Joint Program Initiative of Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR), EU; Research topics: antibiotic resistance and antibiotic consumption

1982-2014: General practitioner (4 hours a week), Health Center Pulssi, Terveystalo Pulssi, Turku (Finland); Private general practitioner, mainly outpatient infectious diseases patients

2010-2011: Head of the Institute, Institute of Microbiology and Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Turku, Turku (Finland); Institute of Microbiology and Pathology had abt 145 employees; from 2012 the institute was merged to Institute of Biomedicine

2009-2010: Head of Preparedness, Research Professor, National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki (Finland); Responsibility: preparedness for BC-threats of the whole Institute

2003-2008: Director of the Department, Research Professor Department of Bacterial and Inflammatory Diseases, National Institute of Public Health (KTL), Helsinki and Turku (Finland); Responsibility: leading department with abt 70-100 persons and budget of abt 3-4 million euros (2003- 2004 Department of Human Microbial Ecology and Inflammation, and 2005-2008 Department of Bacterial and Inflammatory Diseases)

2005-2006: Senior Scientist, Academy of Finland, Turku (Finland) Research on mechanisms and epidemiology of bacterial resistance; 12 months

1990-2001: Physician in Chief and Senior Researcher, Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, National Public Health Institute (KTL), Turku (Finland); Responsibility: leader of the Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, abt 10 persons and budget of abt 700 000 euros; I was first 1990-1991 Senior Researcher and from 1991 Physician in Chief; Research and surveillance tasks; establishment of the Finnish Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (network of 25 clinical microbiology laboratories in Finland); establishment of the MIKSTRA-network 1998-2008, a network of 30 health care centres in Finland, goal was optimal diagnostics and antibiotic treatment on outpatient infectious diseases

1985-1990: Research Associate, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, Turku (Finland)

1986-1987: Research Fellow in Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (USA); Research on molecular mechanisms of bacterial beta-lactamases; supervisor: Associate Professor George A Jacoby

1982-1984 Several academic and medical positions, Acting Research Associate and Laboratory Supervisor, Acting Lecturer in Medical Microbiology

1982-1990 Several short clinical positions related to specialist examination In several outpatient Health Centers and hospitals (e.g. Turku University Central Hospital and Turku City Hospital)

Education and training

1982: Licentiate of Medicine, Licensed physician (MD), University of Turku, National Board of Health, Turku (Finland)

1984: Doctor of Medical Science (PhD), University of Turku, Turku (Finland)

1990: Specialist of Clinical Microbiology, University of Turku, Turku (Finland)

1984: Docent of Medical Bacteriology, University of Turku, Turku (Finland)

2003: Executive Development Program, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (USA); The three weeks intensive leadership course was one of the best course I ever experienced with excellent teachers and 26 students allover the world.

1976: Second Lieutenant (in reserve), Finnish Navy, Helsinki (Finland); During the 11 months military service I got a four months officer leadership education in the Naval Academy in Helsinki.

Communication skills

Science journalist: In 2004-2008, I was Editor in Chief of the Kansanterveys (Public Health Journal), official journal of the National Public Health Institute (KTL). After that task, I was accepted to join Finnish Science Journalist Society. I have written columns and articles in newspapers and magazines. In addition, from 1999 I have had a radio program "Single dose" in Turku Radio of the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Once a week the Single dose presents latest medical discoveries and studies for public.

Science writer: I have been a member of the Finnish Science Writer Society from 2007 and published both textbooks and popular books (in Finnish). In 2012, I was awarded with Antero Warelius Price, the highest recognition of the Society.

Examples of the popular books: I was the Editor in Chief of the Finnish Medical Book (448 pages), from one of the biggest Finnish publisher, WSOY, the book was written with seven other physicians; Childrens' book Hi - here is a bacterium! (Heippa - täällä bakteeri!) received a Annual Award for the Committee for Public Information in 2008. (publisher WSOY); Influenza; Diary of the Pandemiavirus (Influenssa - pandemiaviruksen päiväkirja), together with Thedi Ziegler, 2011. (publisher Duodecim); Dancing with bacteria, how to live with bacteria (Tanssii bakteerien kanssa), 2012. (publisher Duodecim)

Organisational and managerial skills

Leadership skills and education: Executive Development Program at Wharton School, Philadelphia, was one of the best course I ever experienced with excellent teachers and 26 students allover the world. This education was required by the National Public Health Institute (KTL) when I become a Director of the Department.

Major leaderships in professional organizations:
In National Public Health Institute: Physician in Chief, Head of Laboratory (10 persons) 1991-2006; Director of the Department (70-100 persons) 2003-2008; In University of Turku, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (35 persons) 2010- ongoing; Head of the Institute of Microbiology and Pathology (145 persons) 2010-2011; Vice Dean of the Faculty 2012- ongoing (The Faculty has a budget of more than 40 million euros); Director of the Program of Infection Biology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty and BioCity Turku, University of Turku, 17 research groups from the University of Turku and Turku, 2010-; this program is one of the six main research programs of the Medical Faculty University Hospital)

Major societal and political leaderships: Chair of the Council of the Hospital District of the Southwest Finland (population 480 000; budget abt 550 million euros) 2009-2012; Vice Chair of the Turku City Council (population in Turku 180 000, annual budget 1,1 billion euros) 2013- ongoing; Chair of the National Coalition Party Council Group, 2013-ongoing, our group is biggest council group with 19 representatives out of a total of 67 representatives. Turku is a multicultural city with 9% of population of foreign origin with more than 100 languages; Deputy Parliament Member, Parliament of Finland, National Coalition Party, Southwest Finland District, 2007-2011 (we had 5 representatives and I got the 6th place and was the Deputy for the whole four-years period)

Memberships in editorial boards of scientific journals: Clinical Microbiology and Infection, Member of the Advisory and Editorial Board 1995-2008, Member of the Scientific Committee, Bacteriology 2009-2012 Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 1994- ongoing, Member of Editorial Board; Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2001-2008, Member of Editorial Board

Supervision of PhD students, thesis books: During my career, I have supervised 18 PhD exams and 3 are under supervision. I have been official opponent 20 times out of which six times in Sweden and one in Iceland.

Job-related skills

International job-related skills and duties

Honors: Award of Excellence in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 2008, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; the Society deals one Award of Excellence annually in the ECCMID congress Cold Spring Harbor Symposium, NY, USA, 2011 (Antibiotic resistance - past, present and future), invited participant in a symposium of 30 scientists.

Duties in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): Member (alternate) of Advisory Forum 2005-2007, National Microbiology Focal Point 2007-2009; Antimicrobial Resistance National Focal Point 2008-2009 European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS), Country representative 1998-2003; European Surveillance on Antibiotic Consumption (ESAC) Country representative 2002-2009

Duties in the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID): Member of the Council, representative of Finland 1999-2004; Member of the ESCMID Scientific Advisory Committee 2000-2002; Member of the European Study Group for Antimicrobial and Resistance Surveillance (ESGARS); Member of ESCMID Education Committee (EDC) 2006-2010; Chair of ESCMID Sore Throat Clinical Guideline group 2009-2012; Member of the ECCMID 2009 Program Committee 2008-2009

President of the 19th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, ECCMID, Helsinki, 2009. This was the 2nd biggest congress arranged in Finland, with more than 8000 participants from 101 countries.

EU Joint Program Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR): Member of Management Board 2010-

Other advisory, expert or reviewer tasks: WHO, EU Biomed 2, Swiss National Science Foundation, United Kingdom Department of Health, Swedish Medical Council, EASAC, ReAct, Danish Medical Council

Memberships in professional societies: Fellow of the American Society of Infectious Diseases (FIDSA); Member of the American Society for Microbiology and of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

National job-related skills and duties

Major honors: The Apple of Good Knowledge, Medical Journalists Society, 1997; for outstanding work in popularization of science; State Public Information Price, Committee for Public Information in Finland, 2008; for outstanding childrens' book "Heippa! - Täällä bakteeri"; Pro Congress -award, Finland Convention Bureau, 2010; for outstanding work in organizing ECCMID 2009 congress in Helsinki; Antero Warelius Price, 2012, this price is the highest recognition of the Finnish Science Writer Society

Official advisory duties: Permanent Advisor of the Finnish National Agency for Medicines on the field of Antimicrobial Agents, 1993-2008; Permanent Advisor of the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (Stakes), Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, 1997-2004; Member of the Committee: Environmental Effects of Drugs Used In the Treatment of Animals, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1998-1999; Secretary of the Committee: Repel of Bacterial Resistance and Control of Antimicrobial Policy in Finland, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health,1999-2000; Chairman 1991-1993 and Secretary 1989-1991, Finnish Microbiologists, Subdivision for Finnish Medical Association (the main professional organization of the clinical microbiology specialists in Finland)

Academy of Finland: Consensus Meeting: Antibiotic resistance, Chairman of the Program Committee, organized with the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, 1997 Microbes and man -research program, Chairman of the program planning committee, 2001

Major research grants: National Institute of Health scholarship, USA,1986-1987; Sigrid Juselius Foundation 1988-1997; Finnish Dental Association 1993; EVO grants from the Turku University Central Hospital 1999-2001; TEKES, National Technology Agency 1998-2001 and 2013-2014; Academy of Finland 2001-2003 and 2003-2006; Turku University Foundation 2011; TEKES, National Technology Agency 2013-2014

Selected 10 most important publications

(IF, impact factors according to 9/2013)

Huovinen P, Toivanen P. Trimethoprim resis¬tance in Finland after five years' use of plain trimethoprim. Br Med J 1980;280:72 74 (article). (IF 17.2)

Huovinen P, Lahtonen R, Ziegler T, Meurman O, Hakka¬rainen K, Miettinen A, Arstila P, Eskola J, Saikku P. Pharyngitis in adults; the presence and co-existence of viruses and bacterial organisms. Ann Intern Med 1989;110:612-616. (IF 13.9)

Viljanen MK, Peltola T, Junnila SYT, Olkkonen L, Järvinen H, Kuistila M, and Huovinen P. Outbreak of diarrhoea due to Escherichia coli O111:B4 in school¬child¬ren and adults; association of Vi antigen-like reactivity. Lancet 1990;336:831-834 (article). (IF 39.1)

Seppälä H, Nissinen A, Järvinen H, Huovinen S, Hen¬riksson T, Herva E, Holm SE, Jahkola M, Katila M-L, Klaukka T, Kontiainen S, Liimatainen O, Oinonen S, Passi-Metsomaa L, and Huovinen P. Resistance to erythromycin in group A strep¬tococci. N Engl J Med 1992;326:292-297. (IF 51.7)

Seppälä H, Klaukka T, Lehtonen R, Nenonen E, Finnish Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance, Huovinen P. Outpatient erythromycin use - link to increased erythromycin resistance in group A streptococci. Clin Infect Dis 1995;21:1378-1385. (IF 9.4)

Seppälä H, Klaukka T, Vuopio-Varkila J, Muotiala A, Helenius H, Lager K, Huovinen P and the Finnish Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance. The effects of changes in the consumption of macrolide antibiotics on erythromycin resistance in group A streptococci in Finland. N Engl J Med 1997;337:441-446. (IF 51.7)

Rautakorpi U-M, Huikko S, Honkanen P, Klaukka T, Mäkelä M, Palva E, Roine R, Sarkkinen H, Varonen H and Huovinen P for the MIKSTRA Collaborative Study Group. The Antimicrobial strategies (MIKSTRA) program: a five year follow-up of infection-specific antibiotic use in primary health care and the effect of implementation of treatment guidelines.Clin Infect Dis 2006; 42:1221-30. (IF 9.4)

Tähtinen P, Laine MK, Huovinen P, Jalava J, Ruuskanen O, Ruohola A. A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Antimicrobial Treatment for Acute Otitis Media. N Engl J Med 2011; 364:116-26. (IF 51.7)

Berendonk TU, Manaia CM, Merlin C, Fatta-Kassinos D, Cytryn E, Walsh F, Bürgmann H, Sørum H, Norström M, Pons M-N, Kreuzinger N, Huovinen P, Stefani S, Schwartz T, Kisand V, Baquero F, Martinez JL, and the European COST Action DARE group. Tackling antibiotic resistance: the environmental framework. Nature Rev Microbiol 2015;13(5):310-7.

Pekkala S, Munukka E, Kong L, Pöllänen E, Autio R, Roos C, Wiklund P, Fischer-Posovsky P, Wabitch M, Alen M, Huovinen P, Cheng S. Toll-like receptor 5 in obesity - the role of gut microbiota and adipose tissue inflammation. Obesity 2015;23:581-90.