DEFINING TOMORROW'S VASCULAR STRATEGIES
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The Initiative

Prof. Gerd Assmann

Prof. Gerd Assmann
University of Münster,
Münster, Germany
 
Current position
 
2004 - President of the Board of Trustees of the Assmann-Foundation

Professor, retired
 
Past position
 
1984 - 2007 Acting Director, Leibniz-Institute of Arteriosclerosis Research,
University of Münster, Germany
1983 - 2007 Director, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University of Münster, C4-Professor, Germany
1977 - 1983 Head, Central Laboratory of the University Clinics, Münster, Germany
1974 - 1977 Member of the research staff, Department of Clinical Chemistry and Central Laboratory, University Clinics, Köln, Germany
 
Scientific training
 
1969 - 1972 Research Fellowship: Institute of Physiological Chemistry at the University of Köln (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. W. Stoffel)
1972 - 1974 International Postdoctoral Fellowship and Visiting Scientist:
National Institutes of Health, Education and Welfare,
National Heart and Lung Institute, Bethesda, Md, USA
(Director: D.S. Fredrickson, MD)
 
Professional Associations
 
1988 - 1990 President of the German Society of Arteriosclerosis Research
1990 - 1995 Chairman of the "National Cardiovascular Initiative"
1991 - Member of the "Nordrhein-Westfälische Akademie der Wissenschaften"
1994 - 2005   Member, Selection Committee, IOC Olympic Prize
1995 - 2003 Chairman of the International Task Force for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease
1996 - Honorary Member of the Association of American Physicians
1998 - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP)
1999 - 2000 President of the German Society of Laboratory Medicine
2000 - Member, German Academy of Sciences “Leopoldina”
2001 - Honorary Member of the Atherosclerosis Society, Turkey
2002 - Honorary Member of the Atherosclerosis Society, Poland
2003 - Executive Director of the International Task Force for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease
2004 - Vice-President of the European Society for Cardiovascular Prevention
 
Awards
 
1977 Heinrich-Wieland Prize 
1984 Instand-Prize
1987 Hoppe-Seyler-Prize
1987 Ratschow-Gedächtnis-Medaille
2004 ÖGKC-ÖGLM Roche Prize - prize of the Austrian Society of Clinical Chemistry and the Austrian Society of Laboratory Medicine
2006 G.B. Morgagni Prize, Padova   
2006 Schönheimer Medal 
2007 Distinguished Fellow of the International Atherosclerosis Society
2007 Fernandez-Cruz-Foundation Award, Madrid
2007 Lorenzini-Foundation Gold Medal, New York
 
Publications (selection)
  • Assmann G, Oberwittler W, Schulte H, Schriewer H, Funke H, Epping PH, Hauss WH. Prediction and early diagnosis of coronary disease. Prospective epidemiologic study of industrial workers in Westphalia. Internist (Berl). 1980;21:446-59. German
  • Assmann G, Funke H, Schriewer H. The relationship of HDL-apolipoprotein A-I and HDL-Cholesterol to risk factors of coronary heart disease: initial results of the prospective epidemiological study in company employees in Westfalia. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem. 1982;20:287-9.
  • Menzel HJ, Kladetzky RG, Assmann G. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and coronary artery disease. Arteriosclerosis. 1983;3:310-5.
  •  Schriewer H, Assmann G, Sandkamp M, Schulte H. The relationship of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) to risk factors of coronary heart disease: initial results of the prospective epidemiological study on company employees in Westfalia. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem. 1984;22:591-6.
  • Balleisen L, Bailey J, Epping PH, Schulte H, van de Loo J. Epidemiological study on factor VII, factor VIII and fibrinogen in an industrial population: I. Baseline data on the relation to age, gender, body-weight, smoking, alcohol, pill-using, and menopause. Thromb Haemost. 1985;54:475-9.
  • Balleisen L, Assmann G, Bailey J, Epping PH, Schulte H, van de Loo J. Epidemiological study on factor VII, factor VIII and fibrinogen in an industrial population--II. Baseline data on the relation to blood pressure, blood glucose, uric acid, and lipid fractions. Thromb Haemost. 1985;54:721-3.
  • Lenzen HJ, Assmann G, Buchwalsky R, Schulte H. Association of apolipoprotein E polymorphism, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. Clin Chem. 1986;32:778-81.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. The Prospective Cardiovascular Munster Study: prevalence and prognostic significance of hyperlipidemia in men with systemic hypertension. Am J Cardiol. 1987;59:9G-17G
  • Schmitz-Huebner U, Thompson SG, Balleisen L, Fechtrup C, Grosse-Heitmeyer W, Kirchhof B, Most E, Muller US, Seiffert C, Seiffert D, et al. Lack of association between haemostatic variables and the presence or the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. Br Heart J. 1988;59:287-91.
  • Assmann G. European Consensus on Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease. Can J Cardiol. 1988l;4:21A-23A. Review.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. The Prospective Cardiovascular Munster (PROCAM) study: prevalence of hyperlipidemia in persons with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus and the relationship to coronary heart disease. Am Heart J. 1988;116:1713-24
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the elderly: concomitant hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease risk. Am J Cardiol. 1989;63:33H-37H.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. European lipid guidelines: therapeutic recommendations. European Atherosclerosis Society. Am J Cardiol. 1989;63:53H-55H.
  • Assmann G, Funke H. HDL metabolism and atherosclerosis. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1990;16:S15-20. Review.
  • Sandkamp M, Funke H, Schulte H, Kohler E, Assmann G. Lipoprotein(a) is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction at a young age. Clin Chem. 199036:20-3.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Modelling the Helsinki Heart Study by means of risk equations obtained from the PROCAM Study and the Framingham Heart Study. Drugs. 1990;40 Suppl 1:13-8.
  • Assmann G. Genes and dyslipoproteinaemias. Eur Heart J. 1990;11:H4-8. Review.
  • Heinrich J, Sandkamp M, Kokott R, Schulte H, Assmann G. Relationship of Lipoprotein(a) to Variables of Coagulation and Fibrolysis in a Healthy Population. Clin Chem. 1991;37:1950-4.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Relation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides to incidence of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (the PROCAM experience). Prospective Cardiovascular Münster study. Am J Cardiol. 1992;70:733-7.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. The importance of triglycerides: results from the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) Study. Eur J Epidemiol. 1992;8 Suppl 1:99-103.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Role of triglycerides in coronary artery disease: lessons from the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study. Am J Cardiol. 1992;70:10H-13H.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Relation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides to incidence of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (the PROCAM experience). Prospective Cardiovascular Münster study. Am J Cardiol. 1992;70:733-7.
  • Heinrich J, Balleisen L, Schulte H, Assmann G, van de LooJ. Fibrinogen and factor VII in the prediction of coronary risk. Results from the PROCAM study in healthy men. Arterioscler Thromb. 1994;14:54-9. Erratum in: Arterioscler Thromb 1994;14:1392.
  • Jaross W, Assmann G, Bergmann S, Schulte H. Comparison of risk factors for coronary heart disease in Dresden and Munster. Results of the DRECAN (Dresden Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition) study and the PROCAM (Prospective Cardiovascular Münster) Study. Eur J Epidemiol. 1994;10:307-15.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H. Identification of individuals at high risk for myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis. 1994;110:S11-21.
  • Nofer JR, von Eckardstein A, Wiebusch H, Wenig W,Funke H, Schulte H, Köhler E, Assmann G. Screening for naturally occurring apolipoprotein A-I variants: apo A-I(delta K107) is associated with low HDL-cholesterol levels in men but not in women. Hum Genet. 1995;96:177-82.
  • Heinrich J, Assmann G. Fibrinogen and cardiovascular risk. J Cardiovasc Risk. 1995;2:197-205. Review.
  • Heinrich J, Budde T, Assmann G. Mutation in the factor V gene and the risk of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1995;333:881.
  • Navalesi R, Miccoli R, Odoguardi L, Funke H, von Eckardstein A, Wiebusch H, Assmann G. Genetically determined absence of HDL-cholesterol and coronary atherosclerosis. Lancet. 1995;346:708-9.
  • von Eckardstein S, von Eckardstein A, Bender HG, Schulte H, Assmann G. Elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Gynecol Endocrinol. 1996;10:311-8.
  • Assmann G, Schulte H, Cullen P. New and classical risk factors - the Münster heart study (PROCAM). Eur J Med Res. 1997;2:237-42.
  • Cullen P, Schulte H, Assmann G. The Munster Heart Study (PROCAM): total mortality in middle-aged men is increased at low total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in smokers but not in nonsmokers. Circulation. 1997;96:2128-36.
  • von Eckardstein A, Assmann G. Plasma homocysteine levels and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1632-3.
  • Assmann G, Cullen P, Schulte H. The Munster Heart Study (PROCAM). Results of follow-up at 8 years.Eur Heart J. 1998;19:A2-11.
  • Berger K, Schulte H, Stogbauer F, Assmann G. Incidence and risk factors for stroke in an occupational cohort: the PROCAM Study. Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study. Stroke. 1998;29:1562-6.
  • Schulte H, Cullen P, Assmann G. Obesity, mortality and cardiovascular disease in the Munster Heart Study (PROCAM).Atherosclerosis. 1999;144:199-209.
  • Assmann G, Carmena R, Cullen P, Fruchart JC, Jossa F, Lewis B, Mancini M, Paoletti R. Coronary heart disease: reducing the risk: a worldwide view. International Task Force for the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease.Circulation. 1999;100:1930-8.
  • von Eckardstein A, Schulte H, Assmann G. Risk for diabetes mellitus in middle-aged Caucasian male participants of the PROCAM study: implications for the definition of impaired fasting glucose by the American Diabetes Association. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85:3101-8.
  • Assmann G. Pro and con: high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and other lipid subfractions are the future of lipid management. Am J Cardiol. 2001;87:2B-7B. Review.
  • von Eckardstein A, Schulte H, Cullen P, Assmann G.  Lipoprotein(a) further increases the risk of coronary events in men with high global cardiovascular risk. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37:434-9.
  • Hense HW, Schulte H, Lowel H,  Study. Int. J. Obes., in press
  • Assmann G, Schulte H, Seedorf U. The role of genetic predisposition and biomarkers in atherosclerosis. Int. Cong. Ser., in press
  • Müller, O., Chang, E., Deng, D., Franz, T., Jing, D., Kincaid, R., Konigshofer, Y., Kratzmeier, M., McNulty, M., Quian, H., Schneider, J., Schulte, H., Seedorf, U., Tian, X., Van Cleve, M., Yang, D., Assmann, G. PROCAM Study: Risk Prediction for Myocardial Infarction Using Microfluidic High Density Lipoprotein Sub-fractionation is Independent of HDL-Cholesterol. Clin. Chem. + Lab. Med. In press, 2008.
  • Assmann G, Keil U. Framingham risk function overestimates risk of coronary heart disease in men and women from Germany--results from the MONICA Augsburg and the PROCAM cohorts. Eur Heart J. 2003;10:937-45.
  • Assmann G, Nofer JR. Atheroprotective effects of high-density lipoproteins. Annu Rev Med. 2003;54:321-41. Epub 2001 Dec 3. Review.
  • Assmann G, Nofer JR, Schulte H. Cardiovascular risk assessment in metabolic syndrome: view from PROCAM. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2004;33:377-92, Review.
  • Assmann G, Cullen P, Evers T, Petzinna D, Schulte H. Importance of arterial pulse pressure as a predictor of coronary heart disease risk in PROCAM. Eur Heart J. 2005;26:2120-6.
  • Assmann G, Cullen P, Erbey J, Ramey DR, Kannenberg F, Schulte H. Plasma sitosterol elevations are associated with an increased incidence of coronary events in men: Results of a nested case-control analysis of the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2006 ;16:13-21.
  • Assmann G, Cullen P, Kannenberg F, Schulte H. Relationship between phytosterol levels and components of the metabolic syndrome in the PROCAM study. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehab. 2007; 14:208-14
  • Assmann  G, Cullen P, Fruchart JC, Greten H, Naruszewicz M, Olsson A, Paoletti R, Riesen W, Stoll M, Tikkanen M, von Eckardstein A  for the International Task Force for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease. Implications of emerging risk factors for therapeutic intervention. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2005;15:373-81.
  • Farrall M, Green FR, Peden JF, Olsson PG, Clarke R, Hellenius ML, Rust S, Lagercrantz J, Franzosi MG, Schulte H, Carey A, Olsson G, Assmann G, Tognoni G, Collins R, Hamsten A, Watkins H. Genome-wide mapping of susceptibility to coronary artery disease identifies a novel replicated locus on chromosome 17. PLoS Genet. 2006;2:e72.
  • Buyken AE, von Eckardstein A, Schulte H, Cullen P, Assmann  G. Type 2 diabetes and risk of coronary heart disease - results of the 10-year follow-up of the PROCAM study. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehab. 2007;14:230-6
  • Assmann G, Guerra R, Fox G, Cullen P, Schulte H, Willett DW, Grundy SM. Harmonizing the Definition of Metabolic Syndrome: Comparison of the Criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel III and the International Diabetes Federation in U.S. American and European populations. Am J Cardiol. 2007; 99:541-8.
  • Assmann, G., Schulte, H., Cullen, P., Seedorf, U. Assessing risk of myocardial infarction and stroke: new data from the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) study. Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 37, 12, 915-1010, 2007.
  • Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in the Metabolic Syndrome: Results from the Prospective Cardiovascular Munster (PROCAM)
  • Assmann G, Cullen P, Schulte H. Simple scoring scheme for calculating the risk of acute coronary events based on the 10-year follow-up of the prospective cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) study. Circulation. 2002;105:310-5.
  • Voss R, Cullen P, Schulte H, Assmann G. Prediction of risk of coronary events in middle-aged men in the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study (PROCAM) using neural networks. Int J Epidemiol. 2002;31:1253-62; discussion 1262-64.
 
Research
 
Researchs interests:
  • Lipoproteins, lipid transport and metabolism
  • Medical genetics
  • Biotechnology, academic and industrial
  • Epidemiology of atherosclerosis