General & Interior

General & Interior

Dr. Stephan Dobner, MD, PhD, MSc in Clinical Trials

 

Specialist in cardiology and internal medicine, FMH cardiology

Language skills: German, English

Services & research focus

Dr. Dobner specializes in cardiology research and clinical care, in particular:

  • (Advanced) heart failure & transplant cardiology – including acute and chronic forms, e.g. after myocardial infarction or myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
  • Cardiomyopathies and cardiac storage diseases (amyloidosis)
  • Cardio-oncology – risk stratification before the start of oncological therapy, cardiovascular support during therapy and follow-up care after completion of oncological therapy
  • Primary prevention (risk stratification, hypertension/lipid consultation), secondary prevention after cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke)
  • General cardiology – clarification of coronary heart disease/valvular heart disease
  • Intensive research into transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) to identify patients at risk, improve diagnosis, prognosis and optimize drug therapy
    • Investigation of the influence of tafamidis on structural and functional changes in the heart using CMR ResearchGate.
    • Development of AI-assisted diagnostic systems for ATTR-CM in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) ResearchGate.
    • Analyzing the impact of early treatment initiation on diagnosis time and clinical outcomes in ATTR-CM ResearchGate.
    • SGLT2i therapy for ATTR-CM ResearchGate.
  • Further research areas:
    • Semaglutide influence on blood pressure in cardiovascular patients ResearchGate.
    • Evaluation of biomarker-specific risk stratification in valvular heart disease/ prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) ResearchGate.

Curriculum vitae

10/2021 – 09/2023
MSc Clinical Trials, University of Oxford , Degree: MSc

10/2021
Specialist in cardiology (Austrian Medical Association)

10/2021
Specialist in internal medicine (Austrian Medical Association)

08/2019
FMH Cardiology

01/2009 – 11/2011
Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham and Women´s Hospital, Harvard Medical School ; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division

09/2005 – 12/2010
PhD Research Fellow, Medtronic Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Cape Heart Centre, University of Cape Town ; Degree: Ph.D.; Supervisor: Prof. Neil Davies, PhD

10/2000 – 12/2004
Medical School (N201), Medizinische Universität Wien ; Degree: M.D.

Qualifications

Teaching activities
Clinical supervision and training, cardiology and internal medicine residents
Clinical skills training, 5th and 6th year medical students
Problem based-learning module, 3rd year medical students

Memberships
FESC, Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology; 2024-
American Society of Echocardiography
European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging
Swiss Cardiologists of Tomorrow

Awards
Austrian Heart Fund 2025
Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship abroad from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), 03/2010-11/2011
Lower Austrian Top Scholarship, 2008
Science Scholarship of the City of Vienna, 2008

Overview at a glance

Akademische Grade MD (MedUni Wien), PhD (University of Cape Town), MSc in Clinical Trials (Oxford)
Research & Publication Over 50 publications, >1000 citations; topics: ATTR-CM, heart failure, aortic valve stenosis/TAVI, cardiac imaging, angiogenesis
Methodological focus Echocardiography
Clinical focus

(Advanced) heart failure & transplant cardiology

Cardiomyopathies and cardiac storage diseases (amyloidosis)

Cardio-oncology

Primary prevention (risk stratification, hypertension/lipid consultation), secondary prevention after cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke)

General cardiology – clarification of coronary heart disease/valvular heart disease

Conclusion: Dr. Stephan Dobner is an experienced cardiologist and researcher with a focus on the diagnosis and treatment of complex myocardial storage diseases [cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CM), hypertrophic (obstructive) cardiomyopathy (H(O)CM)], advanced heart failure, valvular cardiomyopathy (aortic valve stenosis/mitral valve insufficiency) and cardio-oncology.

Publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals

Nitsche C, Dobner S, Rosenblum HR, Patel KP, Longhi S, Yilmaz A, Merlo M, Papathanasiou M, Griffin J,

Oerlemans MIFJ, Gama F, Hamdan A, Kelion AD, Schuster A, Glaveckaité S, Akyol N, Porcari A, Schlender L,

Capovilla T, Autherith M, Hauptmann L, Halavina K, Cavalcante JL, Fontana M, Scully PR, Moon JC,

Mascherbauer J, Ristl R, Biagini E, Stortecky S, Maurer MS, Treibel TA; AS-Amyloidosis Consortium.

Cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis treatment improves outcomes after aortic valve replacement for severe

stenosis. Eur Heart J. 2025 Jun 2:ehaf362. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf362. Online ahead of print.

 

Draxler D, Johannes J, Nakase M, Heg D, Dobner S, Turovskij E, Fürholz M, Häner J, Lanz J, Pilgrim T,

Hunziker L, Praz F, Räber L, Rohla M, Siontis GCM, Susuri-Pfammatter N, Windecker S, Stortecky S. Clinial

outcomes in patients with acute pulmonary embolism undergoing unltrasound-assisted catheter-directed

thrombolysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 May 6;14(9):e035916. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.035916.Epub

2025 Apr 25.

 

Asatryan B, Murray B, Tadros R, Rieder M, Shah R, Sharaf Dabbagh G, Landstrom A, Dobner S, Munroe P,

Haggerty C, Medeiros Domingo A, Owens A, Kullo I, Semsarian C, Reichlin T, Barth A, Roden D, James C,

Ware J, Chahal CAA. The Promise and Peril of a Genotype-First Approach to Mendelian Cardiovascular

Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Nov 5;13(21):e033557. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.123.033557.Epub 2024

Oct 18.

 

Shiri I, Balzer S, Baj G, Bernhard B, Hundertmark M, Bakula A, Nakase M, Tomii D, Barbati G, Dobner S,

Valenzuela W, Rominger A, Caobelli F, Siontis GCM, Lanz J, Pilgrim T, Windecker S, Stortecky S, Gräni C.

Multi-modality artificial intelligence-based transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy detection in patients with

severe aortic stenosis. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2024 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s00259-024-06922-4.

 

Dobner S, Zarro S, Wieser F, Kassar M, Alaour B, Wiedemann S, Bakula A, Caobelli F, Stortecky S, Gräni C,

Hunziker L, Bernhard B. Effect of Timely Availability of TTR-Stabilizing Therapy on Diagnosis, Therapy, and

Clinical Outcomes in ATTR-CM. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 6;13(17):5291. doi: 10.3390/jcm13175291.

 

Kennedy C, Hayes P, Cicero AFG, Dobner S, Le Roux CW, McEvoy JW, Zgaga L, Hennessy M. Semaglutide

and blood pressure: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2024 Sep 1:ehae564. doi:

10.1093/eurheartj/ehae564.

 

Barbieri F, Pfeifer BE, Senoner T, Dobner S, Spitaler P, Semsroth S, Lambert T, Zweiker D, Neururer SB,

Scherr D, Schmidt A, Feuchtner GM, Hoppe UC, Adukauskaite A, Reinthaler M, Landmesser U, Müller S,

Steinwender C, Dichtl W. A Neural Network-Based Score Predicting Survival in Patients Undergoing Aortic

Valve Intervention: The ABC-AS Score. J Clin Med. 2024 Jun 25;13(13):3691.

 

Muller SA, Peiró-Aventin B, Biagioni G, Tini G, Saturi G, Kronberger C, Achten A, Dobner S, Te Rijdt WP,

Gasperetti A, Te Riele ASJM, Varrà GG, Ponziani A, Hirsch A, Porcari A, van der Meer MG, Zampieri M, van

der Harst P, Kammerlander A, Biagini E, van Tintelen JP, Barbato E, Asselbergs FW, Menale S, Gräni C,

Merlo M, Michels M, Knackstedt C, Nitsche C, Longhi S, Musumeci B, Cappelli F, Garcia-Pavia P, Oerlemans

MIFJ. Evaluation of the 2021 ESC recommendations for family screening in hereditary transthyretin cardiac

amyloidosis. Eur J Heart Fail. 2024 Jun 17.

 

Dobner S, Bernhard B, Ninck L, Wieser M, Bakula A, Wahl A, Köchli V, Spano G, Boscolo Berto M, Elchinova

E, Safarkhanlo Y, Stortecky S, Schütze J, Shiri I, Hunziker L, Gräni C. Impact of tafamidis on myocardial

function and CMR tissue characteristics in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. ESC Heart Fail. 2024

May 12.

 

Capek L, Huber AT, Reineke D, Dobner S, Hunziker LC, Schnegg B. Outflow Graft Obstruction due to Local

Aortic Dissection After Implantation of Left Ventricle Assist Device (HeartMate 3). ASAIO J. 2024 May 7.

 

Caobelli F, Gözlügöl N, Bakula A, Rominger A, Schepers R, Stortecky S, Hunziker Munsch L, Dobner S,

Gräni C. Prognostic value of 99mTc-DPDquantitative SPECT/CT in patients with suspected and confirmed

cardiac ATTR amyloidosis and preserved left ventricular function. J Nucl Med. 2024 Jun 3;65(6):944-951.

 

Bernhard B, Schütze J, L Leib Z, Spano G, Berto MB, Bakula A, Tomii D, Shiri I, Brugger N, De Marchi S,

Reineke D, Dobner S, Heg D, Praz F, Lanz J, Stortecky S, Pilgrim T, Windecker S, Gräni C. Myocardial

analysis from routine 4D cardiac-CT to predict reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes after transcatheter

aortic valve implantation. Eur J Radiol. 2024 Mar 13;175:111425.

 

Alwan L, Benz D, Cuddy S, Dobner S, Shiri Lord I, Caobelli F Bernhard B, Stämpfli S, Eberli F, Reyes M,

Kwong RY, Falk RH, Dorbala S, Gräni C. Current and Evolving Multimodality Cardiac Imaging in Managing

Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2024 Feb;17(2):195-211.

 

Benedikt B, Zoe L, Dobner S, Demirel C, Caobelli F, Rominger A, Schütze J, Grogg H, Alwan L, Spano G,

Boscolo Berto M, Lanz J, Pilgrim T, Windecker S, Stortecky S, Gräni C. Routine 4D Cardiac CT to Identify

Concomitant Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in Older Adults with Severe Aortic Stenosis. Radiology.

2023 Dec;309(3):e230425.

 

Dobner S, Bernhard B, Wieser M, Wahl A, Stark AW, Köchli V, Spano G, Boscolo Berto M, Johner C,

Elchinova E, Tanner G, Safarkhanlo Y, Stortecky S, Schütze J, Hunziker Munsch L, Gräni C. Longitudinal

evolution of ventricular function and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging tissue characteristics in tafamidis-

treated transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. Amyloid. 2023 Dec 9:1-3.

 

Maier J, Lambert T, Senoner T, Dobner S, Hoppe UC, Fellner A, Pfeifer BE, Feuchtner GM, Friedrich G,

Semsroth S, Bonaros N, Holfeld J, Müller S, Reinthaler M, Steinwender C, Barbieri F. Impact of route of

access and stenosis subtype on outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Front Cardiovasc

Med. 2023 Nov 9;10:1256112.

 

Dobner S, Pilgrim T, Hagemeyer D, Heg D, Lanz J, Reusser N, Gräni C, Afshar-Oromieh A, Rominger A,

Langhammer B, Reineke D, Windecker S, Stortecky S. Amyloid Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy in Elderly

Patients With Aortic Stenosis Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023

Aug 15;12(16):e030271.

Dobner S, Bernhard B, Asatryan B, Windecker S, Stortecky S, Pilgrim T, Gräni T, Hunziker L. SGLT2

inhibitor therapy for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy: early tolerance and clinical response to

dapagliflozin. ESC Heart Fail. 2023 Feb;10(1):397-404.

 

Messerli FH, Bavishi C, Brguljan J, Burnier M, Dobner S, Elijovich F, Ferdinand KC, Kjeldsen S, Laffer CL, S

Ram CV, Rexhaj E, Ruilope LM, Shalaeva EV, Siontis GCM, Staessen JA, Textor SC, Vongpatanasin W, Vogt L,

Volpe M, Wang J, Williams B. Renal denervation in the antihypertensive arsenal – knowns and known

unknowns. J Hypertens. 2022 Oct 1;40(10):1859-1875.

 

Pilgrim T, Bernhard B, Fürholz M, Vollenbroich R, Babongo Bosombo F, Losdat s, Reusser N, Windecker S,

Stortecky S, Siontis GCM, Hunziker L, Lanz J, Dobner S. Paroxetine-mediated G-protein receptor kinase 2

inhibition in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction: final 1-year outcomes of the randomized

CARE-AMI trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Sep 6;11(17):e026362.

 

Gräni C, Stark AW, Fischer K, Fürholz M, Wahl A, Erne SA, Huber AT, Guensch DP, Vollenbroich R, Ruberti

AA, Dobner S, Heg D, Windecker S, Lanz, Pilgrim T. Diagnostic performance of cardiac magnetic resonance

segmental myocardial strain for detecting microvascular obstruction and LGE in patients presenting after a

ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jul 14;9:909204.

 

Asami M*, Dobner S*, Stortecky S, Heg D, Praz F, Lanz J, Okuno T, Tomii D, Reineke D, Windecker S,

Pilgrim T. Cardiovascular outcomes in patients with left atrial enlargement undergoing transcatheter aortic

valve implantation. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2022 Feb 16. doi: 10.1002/ccd.30132.

 

Condoluci A, Théaudin M, Schwotzer R, Pazhenkottil AP, Arosio P, Averaimo M, Bacher U, Bode P, Cavalli A,

Dirnhofer S, Djerbi N, Dobner S, Fehr T, Garofalo M, Gaspert A, Gerull S, Heimgartner R, Hübers A, Jung

HH, Kessler C, Knöpfel R, Laptseva N, Magini G, Manka R, Mazzucchelli L, Meyer M, Mihaylova V, Monney P,

Mylonas A, Nkoulou R, Pabst T, Pfister O, Rüfer A, Schmidt A, Seeger H, Stämpfli SF, Stirnimann G, Suter T,

Treglia G, Tzankov A, Vetter F, Zweier M, Flammer AJ, Gerber B. Management of transthyretin amyloidosis.

Swiss Med Wkly. 2021 Oct 20;151:w30053.

 

Pilgrim T, Vollenbroich R, Deckarm S, Gräni C, Dobner S, Stark AW, Erne SA, Bosombo FB, Fischer K,

Stortecky S, Fürholz M, Siontis GCM, Heg, D, Hunziker L, Windecker S, Lanz J; Paroxetine-mediated

G-protein receptor kinase 2 inhibition to attenuate left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction:

a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. JAMA Cardiol. 2021 Oct 1;6(10):1171-1176.

doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2021.2247.

 

Messerli FH, Dobner S; Alcohol and atrial fibrillation: not all drinks are created equal. Eur Heart J. 2021

May 8. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab179.

 

Asatryan B, Yee L; Ben-Haim Y, Dobner S, Servatius H, Roten L, Tanner H, Crotti L, Skinner JR, Remme CA,

Chevalier P, Medeiros-Domingo A, Behr ER, Reichlin T, Odening KE*; Krahn AD*; Sex-Related Differences in

Inherited Arrhythmia Syndromes: Implications for Clinical Practice. Circulation. 2021 Feb 16;

143(7):739-752.

 

Dobner S, Gräni C, Hugi-Mayr B, Mihalj M, Rhyner D, Wieser M, Martinelli M, Hunziker L, Reineke D; LVAD

pump thrombosis and outflow graft pseudoaneurysm causing posture-dependent dynamic outflow graft

compression: two rare complications in an LVAD destination therapy patient. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Feb 10.

Messerli FH, Rexhaj E, Dobner S. Renal Denervation: The Study That Shattered its Halo. JACC Cardiovasc

Interv. 2020 Dec 28;13(24):2934-2936.

 

Schwotzer R, Flammer AJ, Gerull S, Pabst T, Arosio P, Averaimo M, Bacher VU, Bode P, Cavalli A, Concoluci

A, Dirnhofer S, Djerbi N, Dobner SW, Fehr T, Garofalo M, Gaspert A, Heimgartner R, Hübers A, Jung HH,

Kessler C, Knöpfel R, Laptseva N, Manka R, Mazzucchelli L, Meyer M, Mihaylova V, Monney P, Mylonas A,

Nkoulou R, Pazhenkottil A, Pfister O, Rüfer A, Schmidt A, Seeger H, Stämpfli SF, Stirnimann G, Suter T,

Théaudin M, Treglia G, Tzankov A, Vetter F, Zweier M, Gerber B. Expert recommendation from the Swiss

Amyloidosis Network (SAN) for systemic AL-amyloidosis. Swiss Med Wkly. 2020 Dec 5;150:w20364.

Dobner S. Letter regarding the article ‘Efficacy and safety of tafamidis doses in the Tafamidis in

Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy Clinical Trial (ATTR-ACT) and long-term extension study’. Eur J Heart Fail.

2020 Nov 4.

 

Sweda R*, Dobner S*, Heg D, Lanz J, Malebranche D, Langhammer B, Okuno T, Praz F, Räber L, Valgimigli

M, Reineke D, Pilgrim T, Windecker S, Stortecky S. Discharge Location and Outcomes After Transcatheter

Aortic Valve Implantation. Am J Cardiol. 2020 Nov 2:S0002-9149(20)31191-7.

 

Lobenwein D, Kocher F, Dobner S, Gollmann-Tepeköylü C, Holfeld J. Cardiotoxic mechanisms of cancer

immunotherapy – A systematic review. Int J Cardiol. 2021 Jan 15;323:179-187.

 

Barbieri F, Senoner T, Adukauskaite A, Dobner S, Holfeld J, Semsroth S, Lambert T, Zweiker D, Theurl T,

Rainer PP, Schmidt A, Feuchtner GM, Steinwender C, Hoppe U, Hintringer F, Bauer A, Müller S, Grimm M,

Pfeifer BE, Dichtl W; Dataset on the prognostic value of cardiac biomarkers used in clinical routine in

patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing valve replacement. Data Brief. 2020 Jan 9;29:105111.

Spano G, Stutz E, Elicin O, Hugi B, Henzen D, Fürholz M, Wieser M, Rhyner D, Dobner S, Pavlicek-Bahlo M,

Robson D, Nadel J, Hayward C, Hunziker L, Martinelli M, Schnegg B. Is It Safe to Irradiate the Newest Generation

of Ventricular Assist Devices? A Case Report and Systematic Literature Review. Artif Organs. 2019 Nov 26.

 

Barbieri F, Senoner T, Adukauskaite A, Dobner S, Holfeld J, Semsroth S, Lambert T, Zweiker D, Theurl T,

Rainer PP, Schmidt A, Feuchtner GM, Steinwender C, Hoppe U, Hintringer F, Müller S, Grimm M, Pfeifer BE,

Dichtl W; Long-Term Prognostic Value of High-Sensitivity Troponin T Added to N-Terminal Pro Brain

Natriuretic Peptide Plasma Levels Before Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis. Am J Cardiol. 2019

Dec 15;124(12):1932-1939.

 

Wieser M, Rhyner D, Martinelli M, Suter T, Schnegg B, Bösch C, Wigger O, Dobner S, Hunziker L;

Pharmacological therapy of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Ther Umsch. 2018

Sep;75(3):180-186.

 

Bezuidenhout D, Oosthuysen A, Davies N, Ahrenstedt L, Dobner S, Roberts P, Zilla P. Covalent

incorporation and controlled release of active dexamethasone from injectable polyethylene glycol

hydrogels. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2012 Oct 15.

 

Kakkar R, Hei H, Dobner S, and Lee RT; Interleukin 33 as a Mechanically Responsive Endokine Secreted

by Living Cells. J Biol Chem. 2012 Feb 24;287(9):6941-8.

 

Kadner K, Dobner S, Franz T, Bezuidenhout D, Sirry MS, Zilla P, Davies NH. The beneficial effects of

deferred delivery on the efficiency of hydrogel therapy post myocardial infarction.

Biomaterials. 2012 Mar;33(7):2060-6 .

 

Franz T, Human P, Dobner S, Reddy BD, Black M, Ilsley H, Wolf MF, Bezuidenhout D, Moodley L, Zilla P;

Tailored sizes of constrictive external vein meshes for coronary artery bypass surgery. Biomaterials.

2010 Dec;31(35):9301-9.

 

Dobner S, Bezuidenhout D, Govender P, Zilla P, Davies N; A synthetic non-degradable polyethylene glycol

hydrogel retards adverse post-infarct left ventricular remodeling. J Card Fail. 2009 Sep;15(7):629-36.

Davies N*, Dobner S*, Bezuidenhout D, Schmidt C, Beck M, Zisch AH and Zilla P; The dosage dependence

of VEGF stimulation on scaffold neovascularization. Biomaterials. 2008 Sep;29(26):3531-8.

 

Book chapters:

Stephan Dobner, Ovid C. Amadi, Richard T. Lee; Cardiovascular mechanotransduction. Muscle:

Fundamental Biology and Mechanisms and Disease (Elsevier; Editors: JA Hill, RA Kitsis, EN Olson)

 

Fanning JP, Dobner S, Urner M, Bělohlávek J, Peek G. Clinical Trials. Mechanical Circulatory and

Respiratory Support, 2nd ed. (Elsevier; 2024; Editors: Stephens A, Arens J, Heinsar S, Fraser J, and

Gregory S)

 

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