Dr. Pradeep Natarajan, a leading Indian American cardiovascular geneticist known for using human genetics and large population studies, will be recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) at its annual Scientific Sessions in November.
Dr. Natarajan will receive the Population Research Prize on Nov 8 during the Presidential Session of the Nov. 6-9 meeting, a premier global exchange of the latest advancements in cardiovascular science, in Chicago, according to an AHA news release.
Dr. Natarajan is internationally recognized for using human genetics and data from large, diverse populations to transform the understanding and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
His research has uncovered genetic mechanisms in lipid disorders, coronary artery disease and clonal hematopoiesis, while advancing polygenic risk scores and precision medicine approaches that may help identify individuals with elevated cardiovascular risk earlier in life. His discoveries have also accelerated the development of novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease.
Read: Indian American founded Aiseptor joins Cornell Tech’s Runway Startup program (September 24, 2026)
He joined Amgen in August 2026 as vice president of global research, head of human genetics and head of the Cardiometabolic Therapeutic Area and and he continues to serve as a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a distinguished physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Manesh R. Patel, AHA’s 2026-2027 volunteer president, congratulated Dr. Natarajan “for his groundbreaking work that has redefined how human genetics and large population studies can be used to prevent cardiovascular disease.”
“His innovative research has helped bridge genomic discovery with clinical application, advancing precision medicine while improving our understanding of cardiovascular risk across diverse populations.”
Dr. Natarajan’s most influential contributions have been advancing the interpretation of whole-genome sequencing for cardiovascular disease, identifying novel genetic pathways involved in lipid metabolism and coronary artery disease and developing polygenic risk prediction tools designed to improve prevention.
Over his career, his research has integrated genomics, multi-omics, electronic health records and large population biobanks to better understand cardiovascular disease and identify new opportunities for treatment.
Dr. Natarajan has led numerous National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded investigations focused on lipid biology, coronary artery disease, clonal hematopoiesis, cardiovascular risk prediction and precision medicine.
Read: Indian American professor Thimmasettappa Thippeswamy wins Zoetis Research Award (September 1, 2026)
His work spans large international collaborations involving millions of participants and has helped establish new approaches for translating genetic discoveries into clinical care.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association, an organization that shares my mission to improve health outcomes for those impacted by cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Natarajan. “I have dedicated my career to discovering and understanding the drivers of cardiovascular disease using human genetics, innovative methods and interdisciplinary collaboration towards optimal cardiovascular prevention and health. “
Dr. Natarajan earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and a Master of Medical Sciences degree in biomedical informatics from Harvard Medical School in Boston.
He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, cardiovascular medicine fellowship and postdoctoral research training in human genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston.
An internationally recognized cardiovascular geneticist, Dr. Natarajan has authored or co-authored more than 330 peer-reviewed publications and has served as principal investigator on several major NIH-funded studies. These include an $11.2 million NIH Common Fund project advancing the study of somatic mosaicism across human tissues.
He received AHA’s Joseph A. Vita Award in 2023 and the Genomic and Precision Medicine Mid-Career Award in 2025.