Rambam Health Care Campus is proud and honored to bestow the 2016 Rambam Award upon Professor Eric J. Topol in recognition of his medical and scientific achievements in the fields of cardiology, genetics, and digital medicine, and in ppreciation for his advocacy in the field of cardiovascular safety—impacting patients worldwide, including in Israel and here at Rambam Health Care Campus.
Topol’s studies set him apart from the beginning. He received a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia—the more remarkable because of the visionary focus of his thesis - Prospects for Genetic Therapy in Man.
After receiving his MD in 1979, with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry in Rochester, New York, Topol went on to specialize in cardiovascular medicine. In parallel, he continued to pursue genetics research and in 2007 was appointed Professor of Genomics at The Scripps Research Institute in California. A medical pioneer in wireless medicine, Topol has served on a number of advisory boards as a consultant, and has helped to develop educational programs—all to bring medicine into the digital age.
He is currently leading efforts of whole genome sequencing in individuals with remarkable health span, and using both genomics and digital devices to prevent sudden death and stroke.
These accomplishments are integral to his primary research interests: clinical development of new drugs and devices, and
genomics. Topol has paved the way for development of many therapies routinely used in clinical practice today.
He has led international clinical trials in over 40 nations, involving over 200,000 patients. His studies into the genomics of heart attack led to the discovery of key genes. His work has generated over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and he has edited over 30 books.
It is an understatement to say that Topol’s work has influenced cardiovascular, genomic, and digital medicine at every level. He has inspired a new generation of clinician-scientists and is helping to lay the foundations for the future of medicine worldwide.
In acknowledgement of all the aforesaid, the Honorary Awards Committee has found Professor Eric J. Topol deserving of the 2016 Rambam Award.