Dr. Kiran Musunuru is a U.S.-based cardiologist, geneticist, and physician-scientist whose work is helping redefine what preventive medicine can look like in the 21st century. Currently a professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Musunuru has built a career at the intersection of cardiovascular care, genetics, and cutting-edge biotechnology.
Born in New York City, Musunuru’s academic background is as impressive as his scientific output. He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, completed a PhD at The Rockefeller University, and received his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College. He later added advanced training in public health, law, and regulatory science—an uncommon combination that allows him to move seamlessly between science, medicine, and policy.
What makes Musunuru stand out is his focus on gene editing as prevention, not just treatment. His lab has been a leader in researching how CRISPR-based therapies could permanently lower cholesterol levels by editing genes linked to cardiovascular disease. The long-term vision is bold: a one-time treatment that dramatically reduces a person’s lifetime risk of heart attack or stroke, eliminating the need for daily medication.
Beyond population-level prevention, Musunuru has also helped pioneer personalized gene-editing medicine. He was part of the team that developed a first-of-its-kind, patient-specific CRISPR therapy for a newborn with a rare and life-threatening metabolic disorder. The treatment, tailored to the child’s exact genetic mutation, marked a historic moment in medicine and demonstrated how rapidly genetic science is moving from theory to real-world care.
In recognition of his impact, Musunuru has received numerous national honors, including inclusion on TIME’s list of influential health leaders. Equally important, he is a dedicated mentor and educator, helping train the next generation of physician-scientists.
Dr. Kiran Musunuru represents the future of medicine: precise, preventive, and deeply personal—focused not just on treating disease, but stopping it before it starts.
