The prestigious EAS Young Investigator Awards celebrate exceptional contributions by emerging scientists to the field of atherosclerosis and related metabolic disorders. Each award, valued at €2,000, acknowledges groundbreaking publications that advance scientific understanding in these areas.
We are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Young Investigator Awards for their outstanding publications:
Basic Science Award 2025
NK2R Control of Energy Expenditure and Feeding to Treat Metabolic Diseases
Published in: Nature
Awardee: Frederike Sass, Novo Nordisk Center for Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Frederike Sass received her PhD from the University of Copenhagen under the mentorship of Zach Gerhart-Hines in 2024. Her doctoral work established the Neurokinin 2 Receptor (NK2R) as a novel therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic diseases. In 2025, Frederike joined the laboratory of Martin Myers at the University of Michigan as a Michigan Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellow.
Her research focuses on integrating peripheral and central mechanisms of metabolic control to identify new therapeutic strategies for cardiometabolic diseases.
Dr. Frederike Sass is awarded the 2025 EAS Young Investigator Award for her groundbreaking research on NK2R agonism as a novel therapeutic approach for cardiometabolic diseases. Her work provides a transformative strategy for addressing diabetic dyslipidemia, demonstrating an innovative dual mechanism that reduces food intake while increasing energy expenditure, without the common side effects of existing treatments. With an impressive interdisciplinary approach and exceptional scientific maturity, Dr. Sass has already made significant contributions to the field, positioning herself as a future leader in metabolic disease research.
Clinical Science Award 2025
Lipoprotein(a) Is Markedly More Atherogenic Than LDL: An Apolipoprotein B-Based Genetic Analysis
Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Awardee: Elias Björnson, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
Dr. Björnson’s research focuses on apoB-containing lipoproteins in cardiovascular disease, using Mendelian randomization to assess the atherogenicity of remnant lipoproteins, LDL, and Lp(a). His work in SCAPIS explores subclinical atherosclerosis and risk prediction.
His PhD research investigated lipoprotein metabolism, including kinetic modeling of apoB100- and apoB48-containing lipoproteins and the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists and PCSK9 inhibitors.
Disclosures: Consultancy for Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals and Ribocure Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Björnson’s study provides groundbreaking insights into the atherogenicity of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], demonstrating that it is significantly more atherogenic than LDL on a per-particle basis. By employing a novel Mendelian andomization approach, the research offers crucial implications for cardiovascular risk assessment and treatment strategies. This impactful work advances our understanding of Lp(a) as a key therapeutic target, making it a deserving winner of the EAS Young Investigator Award.
Acknowledgement and thanks
The EAS extends its gratitude to the members of the Award Committee for their invaluable time and expertise dedicated to reviewing and evaluating the nominations received for these awards.
Previous Award Winners
Cell-autonomous regulation of complement C3 by factor H limits macrophage efferocytosis and exacerbates atherosclerosis
Published in: Immunity, August 8, 2023, Volume 56, Issue 8, Pages 1809-1824
DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.06.026
Author: Mate Kiss, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Clinical Science Award 2024:
Significance of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins during the first 14-16 months of life
Published in: European Heart Journal, 2023, Volume 44, Pages 4408-4418
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad547
Author: Sofie Taageby Nielsen, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet & University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Acknowledgement and thanks
The EAS extends its gratitude to the members of the Award Committee for their invaluable time and expertise dedicated to reviewing and evaluating the nominations received for these awards.
We thank Prof Philippe Moulin and Prof Zeljko Reiner for chairing the Clinical Science Award, and we thank Prof Ruth Frikke-Schmidt and Prof Zeljko Reiner for chairing the Basic Science Award.
The high standard of nominations received is truly encouraging for the future of research in the field.
Clinical Science Award 2023:
Neuroimmune cardiovascular interfaces control atherosclerosis
Published in: Nature, Volume 605, 5 May, 2022
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04673-6
Author: Sarajo Mohanta, Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich
Clinical Science Award 2023:
Long-term secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet (CORDIOPREV): a randomised controlled trial
Published in: The Lancet, Published Online, May 4, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00122-2
Author: Juan F Alcalá-Díaz, Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Cordoba, Spain
Basic Science Award 2022:
APRIL limits atherosclerosis by binding to heparan sulphate proteoglycans
Published in: Nature, Volume 597, Pages 92–96, 2021
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03818-3
Author: Dimitrios Tsiantoulas, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Clinical Science Award 2022:
Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) as a drug target for cardiovascular disease
Published in: Nature Communications, Volume 12, Article number: 5640, 2021
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25703-3
Author: A. Floriaan Schmidt, Institute of Cardiovascular Science University College London, UK
Basic Science Award 2021:
A dual apolipoprotein C-II mimetic – apolipoprotein C-III antagonist peptide lowers plasma triglycerides
Published in: Science Translational Medicine, 29 January 2020, Volume 12, Issue 528
DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw7905
Author: Anna Wolska, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Clinical Science Award 2021:
Impact of cardiovascular risk factors and genetics on 10-year absolute risk of dementia: risk charts for targeted prevention
Published in: European Heart Journal, 2020;41:4024-4033.
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa695
Author: Ida Juul Rasmussen, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
2020
| Basic Science Award: Apolipoprotein C3 induces inflammation and organ damage by alternative inflammasome activation Published in: Nature Immunology, Volume 21, pages 30–41 Author: Thimoteus Speer, Germany |
| Clinical Science Award: A common variant in CCDC93 protects against myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality by regulating endosomal trafficking of low-density lipoprotein receptor Published in: European Heart Journal, 2019. Authors: Antoine Rimbert and Nawar Dalila, Denmark |
2019
| Basic Science Award: Targeting CD40 induced TRAF6 signaling in macrophages reduces atherosclerosis Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) Author: Dr Tom Seijkens, Amsterdam UMC, the Netherlands |
| Clinical Science Award: Triglyceride-Rich Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Risk of Cardiovascular Events Among Patients Receiving Statin Therapy in the TNT Trial Published in: Circulation, 2018. Author: Dr Antonio J. Vallejo-Vaz, Imperial Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Imperial College London, UK |