Eric Topol

Why you should listen

As director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute in La Jolla, California, Eric Topol uses the study of genomics to propel game-changing medical research. The Institute combines clinical investigation with scientific theory, training physicians and scientists for research-based careers. He also serves on the board of the West Wireless Health Institute, discovering how wireless technology can change the future of health care.

In his early career, Topol was credited with leading the cardiovascular program at Cleveland Clinic to the topmost position in the US. He also was the first physician researcher to raise questions about the safety of Vioxx, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and was named Doctor of the Decade by the Institute for Scientific Information.