 As the first director general of the reformed (1982) National Public Health Institute he guided the institute from previously routine microbiological and clinical chemistry laboratory to an internationally recognized research institute in public health.Throughout his career Huttunen has been involved in many different organisations, and he has been a well-known health care expert often consulted by the government as well as by international and local authorities.He served as an acting director general and department chief at the Ministry of Social Welfare and Health (2000-2001).