Sir Michael G. Marmot, a professor at the University College London, was awarded the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) and the Baxter International Foundation. Sir Marmot earned his PhD and MPH from the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

"Professor Marmot’s research has revolutionized our thinking about the causes of heart disease and other illnesses," said Dr. Thomas Rundall, executive associate dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health and chair of the award selection committee. "He documented that one’s socio-economic position, and in particular the mental benefits of being in control of one’s life are important determinants of health."

The Graham prize recognizes researchers who have made major contributions to the health of the public through innovative research in health services. As director of the International Institute for Society and Health at the University College London, Dr. Marmot has led a research group on health inequities for the last 30 years, which investigates explanations for the inverse social gradient in morbidity and mortality, such as the link between low control at work and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, he is the principal investigator of the Whitehall Studies of British civil servants and leads the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Dr. Rundall also said of Dr. Marmot, "His work has transformed our understanding of the causes of health inequities, inspired new approaches to human resource management, and motivated many innovative community-based programs to strengthen social capital."

The William B. Graham Prize, established in 2005, is the most prestigious and highly regarded recognition an individual researcher can receive in a career of health services research. The individual receives $25,000 and a designated institution supportive of the winner’s work also receives $25,000, ensuring that the prize builds support for health services research within higher education, government and research communities.

"Improving the health of those who are socially disadvantaged is a reward in itself," Dr. Marmot said. "To receive a prestigious award for this work is a way of highlighting this whole field of endeavor, in which many of us have been involved. I am delighted."