David Cutler is the Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics in the Department of Economics at Harvard University. The goal of Professor Cutler’s research is to generate knowledge that can create a healthier population; to do so, he aims to understand all the factors that influence health and how those factors can be modified. Throughout his career, Professor Cutler has therefore published over 300 peer-reviewed publications and two books on a variety of factors that influence health, including medical treatments, environmental conditions, and social factors.  

Honored for his scholarly work and singled out for outstanding mentorship of graduate students, Professor Cutler's work in health economics and public economics has earned him significant academic and public acclaim. He served on the Council of Economic Advisers and the National Economic Council during the Clinton Administration and has advised the Presidential campaigns of Bill Bradley, John Kerry, and Barack Obama as well as served as Senior Health Care Advisor for the Obama Presidential Campaign. Among other affiliations, Professor Cutler has held positions with the National Institutes of Health and the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, he is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a member of the Institute of Medicine, and a Fellow of the Employee Benefit Research Institute.  He advises many companies and groups on health care. 

Professor Cutler received an AB from Harvard University and a PhD in Economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.