Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Lipidology was launched in 1990. It is part of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of lipidology is divided into six sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Anton F. StalenhoefAnton F. StalenhoefDr Anton F. Stalenhoef is Emeritus Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and until the end of last year, head of the Section Vascular Medicine of the Department of Internal Medicine. Anton Stalenhoef received his MD degree at the Radboud University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands in 1974. He trained in internal medicine at the University Medical Centre Nijmegen, and qualified as internist in 1979. Following his clinical training, he received his PhD in lipid metabolism in 1982. Dr Stalenhoef continued his research as Visiting Professor at UCSF, San Francisco, USA, between 1982 and 1983. Since 1984 he has been on the faculty of the University Medical Center St. Radboud, Nijmegen, Department of Medicine, first as associated professor and from 1997 as Professor of Medicine. He was named as the first Clinical Investigator of the Dutch Heart Foundation (from 1988 to 1992). His research is in the area of atherosclerosis, lipoprotein metabolism, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and cytokines and inflammation. Dr Stalenhoef has (co-) authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications in international journals. He has been member of several Dutch and European scientific societies, Dutch Health Council and a variety of scientific advisory councils, including Dutch Heart Foundation and Dutch Research Council. He was member of the Executive Committee of the European Atherosclerosis Society (2005–2008) and has been the Chairman of the EAS 2007 Helsinki Scientific Program Committee. In June 2006 he was named Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Netherlands Journal of Medicine (2005–2008). John J.P. KasteleinJohn J.P. KasteleinJohn J.P. Kastelein is Professor of Medicine at the Department of Vascular Medicine at the Academic Medical Center (AMC) of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he holds the Strategic Chair of Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease. He received his medical degree in Amsterdam in 1980 where he subsequently received specialty training in internal medicine. Then, between 1986 and 1988, he was trained in medical genetics, lipidology and molecular biology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, under the guidance of Prof.Dr M.R. Hayden. In 1997 and 1998 he served a visiting Professorship at the Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Upon his return to the Netherlands, he was awarded a doctorate (Cum Laude) and in 1989 he founded the Lipid Research Clinic at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, which is currently serving as a tertiary referral centre for over 5000 patients each year and has become part of the department of Vascular Medicine. The most important concept in Dr Kastelein's research career is the “extreme genetics” approach. This approach teaches that the study of rare human disorders that are associated with premature coronary disease have broader relevance for the understanding of the etiology of heart disease in general and will yield therapeutic targets that are valid for all patients. Professor Kastelein's current research interests can be found in the etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolaemia and low HDL cholesterol, all conditions associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Dr Kastelein was president of the Dutch Atherosclerosis Society (DAS) and chairs the National Scientific Committee on Familial Hypercholesterolemia (EHC). He also is a member of the Royal Dutch Society for Medicine & Physics, the Council for Basic Science of the American Heart Association and the European Atherosclerosis Society. He also is a boardmember of the International Task Force for CHD Prevention and was recently appointed to the Executive Board of the International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) and is a recognized world leader in the significance of lipoprotein metabolism for the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease. He has published over 700 research papers in peer reviewed journals, including Nature Genetics, Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and Circulation and has a Hirsch index of 73 and his total citations are at 22847 in October 2011.