The Epidemiologist of the Year is selected by the Finnish Epidemiology Society (FES). The selection is based on merits in the field of epidemiology and on raising awareness of the field.
Tikkinen is Professor of Urology at the University of Helsinki. He is also a part-time consultant urologic surgeon at the HUS Helsinki University Hospital and South Karelia Central Hospital. His research work combines advanced clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine methods to improve care of urological and other patients.
Tikkinen's research career began with epidemiological research of urinary symptoms. Since then, Tikkinen and his research group have expanded the research of urinary symptoms to include systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Tikkinen has also served as a member of the European Association of Urology male lower urinary tract symptoms clinical practice guideline panel from 2012 to 2022.
For more than a decade, the team - Clinical Urology and Epidemiology (CLUE) Working Group - led by Tikkinen, has studied surgery and medicine widely. In particular, the research focuses on reducing complications of surgery, such as blood clots, bleeding and infections, especially by conducting meta-analyses and large, pragmatic randomised trials.
Under Tikkinen's leadership, the European Association of Urology created globally the first procedure-specific surgical thromboprophylaxis guideline for the prevention of blood clots and major bleeding. The guideline has rationalized clinical practice worldwide. Tikkinen and his team are currently conducting similar work in general abdominal and gynecological surgery.
Tikkinen is also studying patients’ values and preferences, treatment decision-making, the definition of disease and the closely related over- and under-diagnosis. The group has also participated in the large international Solidarity trial on drug therapies for coronavirus disease. The Solidarity Finland trial, led by Tikkinen, is so far the only randomised covid drug trial that has also published long-term follow-up results, for example on long covid. Tikkinen is also active on Twitter.