A Pioneer in genomics-based cardiology and current leader of major genomics research and individualized medicine program

A leading Researcher and practicing cardiologist, Eric Topol has helped discover specific genes that increase a person's risk of heart attack and has pioneered critical heart care therapies now used in daily practice—therapies such as clot busters, anti-platelet agents, and angioplasty devices. Currently at Scripps Health and The Scripps Research Institute, he heads projects that will ultimately genotype and sequence tens of thousands of individuals to determine how one person's genome may make them more susceptible than another to a given disease and health—then to take what is learned into clinical research, drug discovery programs, and individualized patient care trials.

SELF-EXAMINATION

Occupation:Cardiologist and Genetics Researcher.

Alternative career choice:Endocrinologist (my father was a juvenile diabetic).

I tend to approach life with a sense of:Excitement and passion that, with the right colleagues, collaborators, innovations, and resources, we can change medicine—which is desperately needed!

My mentor is/was:Dr. Kanu Chatterjee, one of the world's top cardiologist researchers at UC San Francisco.

Biggest misconceptions about me or my work:That I'm just a Researcher; I thoroughly enjoy taking care of patients.

Worst part-time job ever:A few would have fit this category—pumping gas at a gas station (the old days!), washing pots in a hospital kitchen, stocking food in a supermarket.

Longest med school study session:Rote memory of gross anatomy.

Best moment in medicine/research:Giving recombinant t-PA (a clot dissolving agent) to the first human, who was having a heart attack, in February 1984.

Worst moment in medicine/research:Taking on the Vioxx safety issue and the backlash that this induced.

The title of the story of my life will be:Transformative Medicine: One Man's Attempts

Musical instrument I play:You wouldn't want to hear me play a musical instrument. I was asked to leave the band in 7th grade to take a study hall!

I lent my time to the "Rock Stars of Science" campaign because:I would like to inspire more young people to pursue a career in science and biomedical research in particular—the opportunities are limitless.

The hardest part about being a "Rock Star of Science" is:Transiently taking on an image (in a picture) that is not me.

RELATED LINKS:

Scripps Translational Science Institute

West Wireless Health Institute

The Scripps Research Institute

Eric J. Topol, M.D. Bio, Scripps Research Institute

Scripps Health