Eric Topol
Eric Topol is an American cardiologist, scientist, and author specializing in the application of genomics, digital tools, and artificial intelligence to advance individualized medicine.[1]
He earned a B.A. in biomedicine from the University of Virginia in 1975 and an M.D. from the University of Rochester in 1979, followed by residency and fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco, and Johns Hopkins University.[1][2] After serving as a tenured professor at the University of Michigan, Topol became Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, where he elevated its cardiology program to national prominence and founded the Lerner College of Medicine.[2] In 2007, he joined Scripps Research as Executive Vice President, Professor of Translational Medicine, and founder-director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, focusing on translating genomic and digital innovations into clinical practice.[1][2] Topol has authored over 1,300 peer-reviewed articles, accumulating more than 300,000 citations, and ranks among the world's top 10 most cited researchers in medicine; he is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine.[1] His books, including The Creative Destruction of Medicine, The Patient Will See You Now, Deep Medicine, and Super Agers, advocate for patient-empowered, technology-driven healthcare.[2] As principal investigator for major NIH initiatives like the All of Us Research Program and Clinical Translational Science Award, he has driven large-scale efforts in precision medicine.[1] Topol's career includes notable critiques of pharmaceutical practices, such as his analysis of Merck's handling of Vioxx cardiovascular risks, which highlighted conflicts between commercial interests and public health evidence.[3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, he emphasized rigorous data over expedited approvals, questioning the efficacy claims for treatments like convalescent plasma and remdesivir based on trial shortcomings.[4][5] These positions underscore his commitment to empirical validation amid institutional pressures.[6]