Dr R.J. de Winter (1958) has been named Professor of Clinical Cardiology, with a special emphasis on Acute Coronary Syndromes, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Amsterdam (AMC-UvA).

Robbert J. de Winter conducts research into the pathophysiology, diagnostics and treatment of various heart-related conditions. In particular, he studies acute manifestations of atherosclerotic coronary disease (heart diseases caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries), unstable angina pectoris (chest pain) and heart attacks and heart attack risk. Heart attacks are a leading cause of death in the Western world, and occur when a blood vessel wall damaged by coronary artery disease ruptures, causing a blood clot to form at the site and resulting in full or partial blockage of the coronary artery. Working together with both the Department of Biochemistry and Pathology at the AMC and other international partners, De Winter investigates the cellular processes that contribute to the formation of these clots. He also explores methods for refining patient diagnosis and improve prognosis, especially by using features of the electrocardiogram and so-called biomarkers in the blood. In addition, De Winter analyses the organisation of regional acute care for heart attack treatment and the existing research in this area.

De Winter is involved in various multicentre patient studies, both in his role as Dutch National Coordinator and as a member of various steering committees. These studies are used to investigate new medicines that can improve repeat heart attack survival rates. He also leads the international multicentre study into new stents and stent technology used in percutaneous angioplasty treatments for patients with acute coronary syndrome (a disease profile indicative of instable angina pectoris or heart attack).

De Winter earned his PhD degree in Biophysics from the University of Leiden 1987 and his medical degree from the University of Amsterdam in 1988. He has been working at the AMC since 1990; since 1995 as a member of the Intervention Cardiology Department staff. He is the Chairman of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology's Emergency Cardiac Care working group and a member of various European working groups in the field of heart care. De Winter is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board (Diagnosis and Therapy) of the Netherlands Heart Foundation and also a member of the editorial board of the Netherlands Heart Journal and the ESC Journal of Acute Cardiac Care.