Sign in

George Davey Smith

@mendelrandom.bsky.social
1.4K followers 198 following 162 posts

Time expired epidemiologist

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Society for Social Medicine & Population Health @socsocmed.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Thank you to our excellent International Epidemiological Association plenary panellists for sharing their reflections on Jørn Olsen's career for the future of epidemiology! Some of their final reflections (possibly slightly paraphrased!):
George Davey-Smith speaking on stage during our IEA panel Katrine Strandberg-Larsen speaking on stage during our IEA panel Henrique Barros speaking on stage during our IEA panel
121
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Here it is. My manifesto for the 2026 Clacton By-Election. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Join me, clean up Clacton and let's make 13th August Bin Day! #VoteBinface #VoteyMcVoteface #YesWeTinCan
29469622160
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I enjoyed giving the annual "distinguished lecture" on triangulation of evidence / the variety of evidence thesis @cam.ac.uk Medical school, particularly as I could remind them at the beginning that they had tried to throw me out when I was a clinical medical student there youtu.be/e2ttItEnwCU
youtu.be
Distinguished Lecture: Evidence triangulation: moving from correlations to causes
YouTube video by MRC IEU at University of Bristol
090
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Looking forward to visiting @humantechnopole.bsky.social to discuss triangulation and meeting some of the fantastic faculty and researchers working there
021
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Does the (live) shingles vaccine protect against dementia? Fergus Hamilton and colleagues provide important evidence in a new preprint using hospital data from the whole of England in a regression discontinuity design from which we *don't* show evidence of a meaningful protective effect /cont
38245
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
With England vs Argentina in the world cup don’t get too excited if it gets to a penalty shoot out .. here an analysis of the 1998 shoot out vs Argentina using regression discontinuity shows increase in heart attacks pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12493655/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Checking your browser - reCAPTCHA
172
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
With England vs Argentina in the world cup don’t get too excited if it gets to a penalty shoot out .. here an analysis of the 1998 shoot out vs Argentina using regression discontinuity shows increase in heart attacks pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12493655/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Checking your browser - reCAPTCHA
253
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that science flourishes when based on reliable evidence and rigorous testing" @royalsociety.org great response to US Office of Management and Budget latest anti-internationalist anti-science moves has a familiar ring to it? royalsociety.org/news/2026/07...
royalsociety.org
Response to the consultation on the “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” proposed by the US Office of Management and Budget | Royal Society
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, responds to the “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” proposed by the US Office of Management and Budget.
000
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Darren Dahly @statsepi.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this essay by Johnson and VanderWeele is no exception. Just like I'm entitled to my opinion that this is one of the dumbest fucking things I've ever read. ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/epdf/10....
ajph.aphapublications.org
AJPH
American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) from the American Public Health Association (APHA)
10226
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Keir Starmer and Alexander Kerensky: compare and contrast in 300 characters. Win the most banal Ted Talk of all time
000
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Alasdair Munro @apsmunro.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Completely agree I’ve written about the saga here ( @mendelrandom.bsky.social was kind enough to give me his input before I published!) Like the findings? Then limitations don’t matter! It’s now a fact!
open.substack.com
The truth about the shingles vaccine and dementia
Ground breaking intervention or senseless hype?
171
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Ben Recht @beenwrekt.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Link to a great talk by @mendelrandom.bsky.social presenting new work that finds no effect.
141
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
How strong is the evidence that live shingles vaccination prevents the risk of dementia? A talk yesterday @oxprimarycare.bsky.social on this available here youtu.be/qlTnnQytOJ0
youtu.be
Guest Lecture 17 June 2026, does the shingles vaccine prevent dementia?
YouTube video by Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science
24118
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
🤣 🤣 🤣
010
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Much interest (and hope) invested in whether shingles vaccination can reduce dementia risk, but what does the evidence actually show? I'll be presenting some new analyses virtually (and in person in Oxford) at 12.15pm UK time 17th July (free registration) events.ox.ac.uk/oxford_event...
events.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Events
Oxford research division site
030
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Tom Yates @tomayates.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Missed this nice commentary from @gushamilton.bsky.social and @mendelrandom.bsky.social - lots of food for thought for someone thinking of dipping their toe into some infection genetic epi ...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Mendelian Randomization and Infection: Pitfalls and Promises - PubMed
Mendelian randomization (MR) is an increasingly common study design in infectious diseases (ID). It holds promise for identifying causes and consequences of infections where conventional epidemiology ...
062
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
.... although in truth when there isn't a photographer about some of us push our bikes slowly up the hills ...
150
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Stephen Senn @stephensenn.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Should be good. It seems that July will be randomisation month this year. rss.org.uk/training-eve... 100 years ago Fisher wrote this: repository.rothamsted.ac.uk/id/eprint/20...
rss.org.uk
Discussion paper meetings
01410
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
If you're interested in the history and philosophy of randomization in all its forms I'm co-organising a *FREE* conference in glorious Bristol 2-3rd July wth the legendary Samir Okasha, registration is here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randomizat... If you think it looks interesting please advertise
eventbrite.co.uk
Randomization in Science, Society and Nature
Exploring the role of randomization across decision theory, clinical trials, politics, evolutionary biology and genetics
23824
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Yet another spurious non-linear Mendelian randomization paper has been retracted by a journal academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/a... Kudos to the editors of the Journal of Public Health for following through and retracting spurious publications. What is shocking is that many other journals /cont
academic.oup.com
Retraction of: Association between Vitamin D and mortality risk in gout patients
This is a retraction of: Xinyu Fang, Jie Zhang, Zixing Zhang, Dongqing Ye. Association between Vitamin D and mortality risk in gout patients, Journal of Pu
156
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Cristian Pattaro @cpattaro.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
G-EE A very much needed (and brilliant) reflection for Mendelian randomization
033
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Have seen thousands of Velvets covers and also saw the Velvet Underground be their own tribute band on two unforgettable nights at Edinburgh playhouse June 1993, but think Waldo’s Gift at Ritual Union 2026 Bristol got closer to the VU spirit than any others I’ve seen
060
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Blog by Andrew Elmore on the genotype-phenotype map reaource ieureka.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2026/03/11/g...
ieureka.blogs.bristol.ac.uk
A Guide to The Genotype-Phenotype Map – IEUREKA!
000
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
🙏
010
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
A comprehensive new tool for exploring how genetic variation influences outcomes, of relevance to everything driven by phenotypes, which encapsulates many domains, from how drugs work to how natural selection works ... / cont
183
Reposted by George Davey Smith
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Failure to understand that the fundamental principle of Mendelian randomization (MR) is of gene-environment equivalence contributes to the flood of nonsense MR papers that are appearing; Shah Ebrahim, Gib Hemani and I explain why in this short commentary. journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...
journals.plos.org
Gene-environment equivalence: The fundamental principle of Mendelian randomization
In this Perspective, George Davey Smith and colleagues outline how and why gene-environment equivalence, the fundamental principle of Mendelian Randomization (MR), must be properly applied and critica...
13928
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Christina Dahm @christinadahm.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
🤓There's an open 2 yr postdoc position in my group 🏘️ On interactions between area-level socioeconomic position and environmental factors in weight trajectories in children 📈 Using multilevel models; applying the target trial framework 📆 Apply before April 7th! international.au.dk/about/profil...
international.au.dk
Postdoc in Epidemiology - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at Department of Public Health - Department of Epidemiology, Aarhus University
0910
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Embarrasing correcton required for this - it was intended to say "gene-environment equivalence" not interaction is the fundamental principle of MR ..
020
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Failure to understand that the fundamental principle of Mendelian randomization (MR) is of gene-environment equivalence contributes to the flood of nonsense MR papers that are appearing; Shah Ebrahim, Gib Hemani and I explain why in this short commentary. journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...
journals.plos.org
Gene-environment equivalence: The fundamental principle of Mendelian randomization
In this Perspective, George Davey Smith and colleagues outline how and why gene-environment equivalence, the fundamental principle of Mendelian Randomization (MR), must be properly applied and critica...
13928
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Failure to understand that the fundamental principle of Mendelian randomization (MR) is that of gene-environment interaction contributes to the flood of nonsense MR papers that are appearing; Shah Ebrahim, Gib Hemani and I explain why in this short commentary. Responses welcome!
0133
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Graham Scambler @grahamscambler.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
www.grahamscambler.com/habermas-and...
grahamscambler.com
Habermas and Strategic Versus Communicative Action
In this fourth in a sequence of blogs on the theories of Jurgen Habermas I move on to consider his use of the concepts of lifeworld and system. These receive their fullest expression in his magiste…
032
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Dorothy Bishop @deevybee.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Predictably enough, one of the people funded by Wellcome LEAP's FORM project is James B. Adams brainfoundation.org/brain-invest..., whose work featured in our recent review www.cell.com/neuron/fullt..., and not in a good way. see wellcomeleap.org/form/
wellcomeleap.org
FORM | Wellcome Leap: Unconventional Projects. Funded at Scale.
NEW $50M Program Foundations of a Resilient Microbiome APPLY NOW We are pleased to announce the selected performers.Kiran Raosaheb Patil, University of CambridgeLaurel...
12112
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Graham Coop @gcbias.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
We're excited to be recruiting an NIH funded postdoc to work in the Coop lab at UC Davis. We're specifically interested in candidates who are want to work at the intersection of human genetics, GWAS, and population genetics modeling. Please RT
1163210
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Great opportunity for a post-doc position with the amazing Luisia Zuccolo @humantechnopole.bsky.social Details here careers.humantechnopole.it/job/Postdoc-...
careers.humantechnopole.it
Postdoc in Genetic Epidemiology/Statistical Genetics
Postdoc in Genetic Epidemiology/Statistical Genetics
122
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
How the processes of recuperation vitiate apparent methodological advances in medical research, from meta-analysis to Mendelian randomization
1157
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Brilliant inaugural lecture by Professor Evie Stergiakouli on her career so far, @uob-ieu.bsky.social so lucky to have secured her talents right from its inception. Thx Evie!
0102
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
“There is nothing that utterly destroys all chance for scientific investigation or any continuous work, like having a Distinguished Guest on your hands” H S Jennings, c1925
050
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Perhaps counterintuitively higher prepubertal BMI is strongly protective against breast cancer in later life
040
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Michel Nivard @michelnivard.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Grace Power, @mendelrandom.bsky.social and others (not me!) takes a plausible causal FX of BMI on breast cancer, and narrow down *when* that effect plays out. They find the effects of later BMI on breast cancer are steeply attenuated when conditioned on early BMI. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Lifecourse genome-wide association study meta-analysis refines the critical life stages for adiposity’s influence on breast cancer risk
Improving knowledge of adiposity’s genetic architecture across the lifecourse refines insights into its role in breast cancer.
064
Reposted by George Davey Smith
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit @uob-ieu.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Newspaper headlines often share compelling quick fixes for health issues - but often the realities of what causes health conditions is more complex. In this blog post @mendelrandom.bsky.social explains why he encourages scientists to look for ways they might be wrong. www.ukri.org/blog/why-evi...
ukri.org
Why evidence matters in health research
Professor George Davey Smith explains why he encourages scientists to look for ways they might be wrong.
053
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Even Confuseus has caught up on colliderscopes academic.oup.com/ije/article/... 🤣 @f2harrell.bsky.social @michelnivard.bsky.social
academic.oup.com
Collider scope: when selection bias can substantially influence observed associations
Abstract. Large-scale cross-sectional and cohort studies have transformed our understanding of the genetic and environmental determinants of health outcome
2150
Reposted by George Davey Smith
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit @uob-ieu.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Happy New Year! To start the year, do read this @ukri.org interview with our director @mendelrandom.bsky.social, recipient of the prestigious MRC Millennium Medal. medium.com/@UKRI/why-co...
medium.com
Why ‘coffee causes cancer’ headlines get it wrong
Coffee causes cancer. Red wine protects your heart. Chocolate cuts diabetes risk. These headlines catch the eye, but are they true?
051
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
I know a bit about the past of MR, something about the present, and look forward to discussing whether MR has a future, and if so, how that should look
0116
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
On a Wensleydale pilgrimage - geographically and back in time - to where and when epidemiology was about fieldwork (or practice) amongst real people in actual populations, and involved literally crossing fields … check out his beautifully written papers as a seasonal treat to yourself …
0121
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
If you enjoy @michelnivard.bsky.social collider bias posts you might enjoy “why epidemiologists who can maintain eye contact are bad at maths” in here www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zPq...
youtube.com
MRC Millennium Medal recipient George Davey Smith reflects on a career in epidemiology
YouTube video by MRC IEU at University of Bristol
0110
Reposted by George Davey Smith
John Greally @greally.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
I'm sure @mendelrandom.bsky.social will be gratified to learn that their ads kept popping up during his outstanding YouTube presentation (congrats on the award, George): www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zPq... If you watch one talk on epidemiology this month, make it this one.
youtube.com
MRC Millennium Medal recipient George Davey Smith reflects on a career in epidemiology
YouTube video by MRC IEU at University of Bristol
021
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
🙏 @greally.bsky.social sadly the ads not part of my efforts to become a 💰YouTuber
030
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Gemma Sharp @gemmasharp.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
I have become mightily interested in the causal effect of “forever chemicals” and plastics on gynecological health. I want to make sure our new menstruation data in ALSPAC and Born in Bradford can be used to research this. Anyone know who’s big in (causal) epidemiology of this sort of exposure?
212
Reposted by George Davey Smith
Graham Scambler @grahamscambler.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Abolish it!
031
George Davey Smith @mendelrandom.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
💯
010