Dr Anatol Kontush
Disclosure details
Dr Kontush is the author of the patent “Novel assay of HDL function”, EP17306042.Research Director, Faculty of Medicine Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
Anatol Kontush, PhD, is a researcher in the field of lipoproteins and cardiovascular health. He currently serves as Research Director at Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Dr. Kontush is also affiliated with the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), where he works in the Unit of Dyslipidemias, Inflammation and Atherosclerosis in Metabolic Diseases at the Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital.
Dr Kontush holds a PhD in Biophysics from the University of Hamburg, Germany (1996) and a Research Director degree (HDR) from the University of Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France (2002). His research focuses on:
- Mechanisms of atherosclerosis development
- Cardiovascular disease and age-related disorders
- Protective functions of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
- Deleterious roles of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins
Dr Kontush has made several contributions to the field of lipoproteins, particularly in the study of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and their role in cardiovascular health:
Small, dense HDL: Kontush provided contributions to the discovery of distinct biological activities, structure, and composition of small, dense, protein-rich HDL particles. These particles may have enhanced protective properties against atherosclerosis.
HDL functionality: His research has emphasized the importance of HDL functionality rather than just HDL cholesterol levels. This shift in focus has led to a better understanding of how HDL particles protect against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. This work has elucidated various atheroprotective activities of HDL particles, including cellular cholesterol efflux, reduction of cellular death, anti-inflammatory effects, and protection against pathological oxidation.
HDL lipidome: He has contributed to the understanding of the HDL lipidome, focusing on bioactive lipids and their impact on HDL’s cardioprotective functions.
Reverse Remnant-Cholesterol Transport (RRT): In 2020, Dr Kontush developed the RRT hypothesis, which highlights the importance of HDL in removing cholesterol from remnant lipoproteins and transporting it to the liver, potentially reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. This work may explain the paradoxical U-shaped relationship between HDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
These contributions have advanced our understanding of HDL’s role in cardiovascular health and have implications for developing more targeted approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
Dr Kontush has been the principal investigator for numerous international and national grants. As an active researcher, he has supervised multiple theses and served on various thesis committees, demonstrating his commitment to academic mentorship. He presently serves as a member of editorial board for the Journal of Lipid Research.
Dr Kontush is a member of the European Atherosclerosis Society and the French Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis (NSFA). He has received awards from the NSFA and pharmaceutical companies Pfizer (USA) and AstraZeneca (UK).
Dr Kontush has authored or co-authored over 150 scientific articles published in international peer-reviewed journals. He is the lead author of “High-Density Lipoproteins: Structure, Metabolism, Function and Therapeutics” published by John Wiley & Sons in 2012. His latest book, “Cholesterol, Lipoproteins, and Cardiovascular Health: Separating the Good (HDL), The Bad (LDL) and the Remnant” was published by Wiley in October 2024.
