K.M. Venkat Narayan Selected as Member of Association of American Physicians

 K. M. Venkat Narayan, MD, executive director of the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center (EGDRC) has been elected as a 2026 member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP), one of the nation’s most prestigious medical societies. He joins a distinguished global network of approximately 2,700 members, with Emory physicians representing nearly 6% of this year’s incoming class.

“I am deeply honored to join the AAP and to be part of a global community of physician-scientists advancing science to improve lives,” Narayan said. “This moment underscores years of sustained collaboration across disciplines and regions, which is essential to accelerating progress and delivering solutions that reduce the global burden of diabetes.”

AAP recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional scientific achievement and leadership in advancing physician-led research. Election is considered a defining career honor, reflecting groundbreaking contributions to basic and translational biomedical science.

Transforming Diabetes Research and Prevention, Globally

Narayan is the Ruth O.C. Hubert Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and professor of endocrinology at Emory School of Medicine. He has served as the founding director of EGDRC since 2006.

“Dr. Narayan has been instrumental in building a collaborative, global approach to diabetes research,”says Mohammed K. Ali, MD, co-director of EGDRC. “Through his leadership, EGDRC has become a hub for curious investigators and innovations that connect science, clinical care, and public health in meaningful ways.”

For decades, Narayan has led innovative scientific efforts, building a career defined by groundbreaking milestones and a sustained commitment to improving health and medical care through research.

His contributions include developing the world’s first assessment of the lifetime risk of diabetes, helping establish Type 2 diabetes as a major public health challenge, and publishing one of the earliest studies on the incidence of childhood obesity. Narayan has also advanced the science of type 2 heterogeneity, advancing research in pancreatic beta cell biology and diabetes subclassification across diverse populations.

He has authored more than 600 publications, contributed to numerous high-impact studies and, been cited more than 220,000 times. His work has had a profound global impact on diabetes and noncommunicable diseases while advancing research, collaboration, and innovation at Emory.

Currently, Narayan and his colleagues are investigating the link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease in collaboration with Allan Levey, executive director of Emory’s Goizueta Brain Health Institute. This work is being conducted through the Center for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS), a 17-year cohort study led in partnership with EGDRC and leading institutions across India. 

“Understanding the links between diabetes and brain health is one of the most urgent frontiers in global health,” Narayan said. “Our work through CARRS is helping uncover insights that could transform prevention and care.”
Narayan was also named a Class of 2025 Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science on March 26, 2026.