Prof. Petri Kovanen Wihuri Research Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Petri Kovanen received his medical degree in 1970 from the University of Basel, Switzerland, and then his MD and PhD at the University of Helsinki, Finland. His main research interests focus on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, both early atherogenesis with an emphasis on the mechanisms of extracellular lipid accumulation, and... read morelate atherogenesis with emphasis on the generation of vulnerable plaques. Throughout the years, he has been studying the role of mast cells in atherogenesis, a rediscovered invader of the atherosclerotic arterial wall. Dr. Kovanen has written numerous scientific articles, reviews, and book chapters on topics dealing with the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, with special emphasis on mast cells. Dr. Kovanen is the Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Medicine, and serves on the Editorial Board of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.