AHA to Honor Cardiovascular Genetics Innovator Pradeep Natarajan

The American Heart Association will honor Pradeep Natarajan, M.D., M.M.Sc., FAHA, with the Population Research Prize at its Scientific Sessions 2026, taking place Nov. 6-9 in Chicago. Dr. Natarajan, a leading cardiovascular geneticist, will receive the award during the Presidential Session on Sunday, Nov. 8. He is internationally recognized for leveraging human genetics and large, diverse population data to transform the understanding and prevention of cardiovascular disease. His research has illuminated genetic mechanisms in lipid disorders, coronary artery disease and clonal hematopoiesis, while advancing polygenic risk scores and precision medicine approaches that can identify individuals at elevated cardiovascular risk earlier in life. In August 2026, he joined Amgen as vice president of global research, head of human genetics and head of the Cardiometabolic Therapeutic Area; he also serves as a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a distinguished physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Manesh R. Patel, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association's 2026-2027 volunteer president, praised Dr. Natarajan for bridging genomic discovery with clinical application and improving understanding of cardiovascular risk across diverse populations. Dr. Natarajan's most influential contributions include advancing whole-genome sequencing interpretation for cardiovascular disease, identifying novel genetic pathways in lipid metabolism and coronary artery disease, and developing polygenic risk prediction tools. He has led numerous NIH-funded investigations and has been a longtime volunteer leader with the Heart Association since 2011, serving on its Data Science and Precision Medicine Committee and as vice chair of writing groups for three scientific statements addressing polygenic risk scores for cardiovascular disease, direct-to-consumer genetic testing for cardiovascular disease and the cardiovascular implications of clonal hematopoiesis. He also contributed to the 2026 Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. "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. Beyond his research, he has mentored dozens of early-career investigators and authored more than 330 peer-reviewed publications.