Harsha Thirumurthy

Harsha Thirumurthy is a Professor in the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as Division Chief of Health Policy and is actively involved as Associate Director at the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, Research Associate at Penn’s Population Studies Center, and Co-Director of the Penn Development Research Initiative and the Behavioral Economics and Global Health Insights Lab.

• PhD in Economics, Yale University

His research integrates economics and public health, focusing on behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes in low-income settings. He has led randomized trials in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and evaluated large-scale health and economic policies.

His recent publications include work on HIV testing, PrEP linkage, tuberculosis adherence, maternal health, and chronic disease management, often applying behavioral economics frameworks. These studies appear in leading journals like The Lancet, AIDS and Behavior, and BMJ Global Health.

Scientific Awards

• Robert Suskind & Leslie Lewinter-Suskind Faculty Global Health Award (2024)
• Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award (2024)

Harsha co-founded the Indlela nudge unit in South Africa to build local research capacity in behavioral economics and health. His work emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration and translating behavioral insights into scalable health solutions.