Dr. Stephan Harbarth reflects on the success of his “hospital diplomat” approach to epidemiology

TL;DR

Professor Stephan Harbarth is a leading expert in hospital epidemiology and antibiotic resistance, known for his impactful research and leadership in infection prevention.

Contribution

Harbarth's work has significantly advanced strategies to combat multidrug-resistant organisms like MRSA through clinical and epidemiological studies.

Findings

His research has improved hospital hygiene and infection prevention strategies.

He led the Drive-AB project, a major European initiative against antibiotic resistance.

His studies on MRSA and ESBL-producing organisms have reduced their transmission in healthcare settings.

Abstract

Professor Stephan Harbarth obtained his medical degree from the University of Munich in 1993. He completed postgraduate training in internal medicine and infectious diseases in both Munich and Geneva. After serving as a clinical research fellow in infectious diseases at Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), he pursued postgraduate studies in epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, earning a Master of Science in Epidemiology in 1999. He continued his research activities at Children’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School until 2001.

In April 2007, he was appointed Attending Physician in the Infection Prevention and Control Service (SPCI) at HUG and also served as a consultant in the Infectious Diseases Service. He became head of the SPCI in October 2022.

A Privat-docent at the Faculty of Medicine since 2006, Professor Harbarth was appointed Associate Professor in 2010 and Full Professor in 2018. His research focuses on the epidemiology and prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections, as well as on antibiotic stewardship. A renowned expert in this field, he serves on numerous national and international expert committees. His work has received multiple awards, including the prestigious Robert Koch Award in 2022 for hospital hygiene and infection prevention.

His research group focuses on clinical and epidemiological studies aimed at addressing key issues related to the control of acquisition, transmission, and infection by multidrug-resistant organisms, as well as the associated clinical and public health burden. His work on the impact and control of nosocomial transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing organisms has significantly improved strategies to combat these pathogens. His additional research interests include the molecular epidemiology of emerging bacteria, pharmaco-epidemiology and antibiotic optimization, and the rapid diagnosis of severe infections. He has been involved in several large-scale, EU-funded studies (REVERSE, ECRAID, COMBACTE) and led the major European project “Drive-AB,” which coordinated over 20 public and private partner institutions across 12 European countries to address this public health threat.

Professor Stephan Harbarth was included in the Highly Cited Researchers™ 2022 list.