Paul Emanuel Polani (1914–2006) was an Italian-Austrian geneticist, described by the Royal College of Physicians as "one of the key figures in the development of medical genetics".

[2] At the outbreak of World War II he was interned, before being released and allowed to practise as a medical officer at Evelina Children's Hospital.

[2] From 1960 to 1982 he worked at King’s College, London and Guy's Hospital Medical School, where he was Prince Philip's Professor of Paediatric Research and Director of the Paediatric Research Unit (later the Division of Genetics and Development[3] He was a Fellow of King's College London, and a Research Professor Emeritus at London University.

[3] He received the Royal College of Physicians' Baly Medal in 1985, and delivered the Langdon Brown memorial lecture in 1984 and the Harveian Oration in 1988.

[3] The genetic research library at Guy's Hospital was renamed in his honour in 1982.