Namratha R Kandula

Namratha R Kandula, MD, MPH, serves as Professor in the Department of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) and Department of Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research program focuses on health disparities among immigrant and South Asian populations in the United States, with emphasis on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and social determinants of health through community-engaged epidemiology.

Her educational background includes:

• MD from Tufts University School of Medicine (1998)
• MPH from Tufts University (1998)
• Internal Medicine Residency at Bellevue Hospital Center (2001)
• Certification in Internal Medicine by American Board of Internal Medicine

Dr. Kandula's research integrates public health, social sciences, and clinical medicine to address health inequities. She leads major initiatives including the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study—the largest longitudinal investigation of South Asian cardiovascular health in the U.S.—and develops culturally adapted lifestyle interventions for underserved communities. Her work emphasizes patient-centered research design and data equity for immigrant populations.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on South Asian health disparities, cardiovascular risk factors across ethnic groups, diabetes epidemiology, and innovative hypertension interventions. Her research frequently employs community-based participatory methods and leverages large cohort studies like MASALA and MESA to examine social, cultural, and biological determinants of disease.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Mentor of the Year, Department of Medicine (2023)
• Public Health Partners in Excellence Award, Village of Skokie (2023)
• Community-Engaged Research Partnership Award (2013)
• Public Voices Thought Leadership Fellowship (2012)
• American Public Health Association Media Award (2009)
• American Heart Association Population Science Award (2006)

Dr. Kandula actively mentors medical students and researchers, as evidenced by her Mentor of the Year award and student collaborations highlighted in Feinberg news. She secures significant NIH-funded research, including grants for statistical frameworks correcting self-reported diet data in lifestyle trials. As Principal Investigator for multiple clinical trials including QUARTET USA, she develops pragmatic interventions for hypertension management in safety-net healthcare settings.

She directs research through Northwestern's Center for Diabetes and Metabolism and Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM), while co-leading the Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health. Her work operates through community partnerships including the Asian Health Coalition of Illinois and Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities, focusing on translating evidence into equitable clinical practice.