Duncan Maru, MD, PhD

Duncan Maru, MD, PHD is an epidemiologist and physician trained in internal medicine and pediatrics who conducts implementation science research on strategies to improve the delivery of evidence-based healthcare interventions in settings of extreme poverty. At Mount Sinai School of Medicine, is an Associate Professor (pending) at the Arnhold Institute of Global Health and the Departments of Health System Design and Global Health, Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine. The focus of his research with the Arnhold Institute is in rural Nepal. Over the last twelve years, a non-profit healthcare provider he co-founded, Possible, has developed a unique public-private partnership with the Nepali government. Within this arrangement, Possible delivers, develops, and tests innovations in integrated care delivery systems, from hospital- to home-based care. Presently, Possible conducts over 150,000 hospital visits and 125,000 home visits per year via over 375 full time employees and an annual budget of $6 million. With Possible, Duncan collaborates on scaling population health interventions in Nepal. Their implementation research arm has shaped national dialogue and policy around patient safety and overuse; public health surveillance systems that leverage community health workers; EMRs for chronic disease management; performance-based financing; district-level surgical care systems; and Quality Improvement for acute and chronic pediatric disease. His team is currently in the middle of a large-scale implementation research study of community health workers for maternal and child health, as well as studies of the integration of mental health services into primary care, digital tools for population delivery systems, and a longitudinal study of the impact of Nepal’s new national insurance scheme. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, he served on the faculties of Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Global Health Equity, Boston Children’s Hospital Complex Care Service, and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Global Health and Social Medicine. Duncan graduated from Harvard College, received his MD/PhD from Yale University, and completed the Harvard Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Program and the Brigham and Women’s Global Health Equity Residence Program. Duncan’s work as a physician researcher and epidemiologist has generated over 50 peer-reviewed articles. He is a recipient of the NIH's High Risk, High Reward Early Independence Award, an NIH R34 award, a Canada Grand Challenges Stars in Global Health Award, a Canada Grand Challenges Transition to Scale Award, a USAID PEER award, and a World Economic Forum and Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He and his partner Dr. Sheela Maru, also on faculty at the Arnhold Institute, live in Jackson Heights with their sons Anand and Umed and parents Hansraj and Usha. He was a distance runner and triathlete growing up, and continues to run and bike wherever he can.