Michiel Rienstra

Prof. Michiel Rienstra is a clinical cardiologist and Professor of Clinical Cardiology at the University of Groningen, affiliated with the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). His roles include past-Clinical Director of the Department of Cardiology and founder of the HeartNetwork Northern-Netherlands. He specializes in atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and implantable cardiac devices. He holds leadership positions in national/international organizations including the Dutch Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Institute.

Education & Career: Graduated in medicine (cum laude) from the University of Antwerp (2003), earned a PhD in AF research from Groningen (2007), and completed a postdoc at Harvard Medical School (2010-2011). He trained in cardiology and device specialization at UMCG, where he continues clinical and research work.

Research Focus: AF/HF epidemiology, genetics, and clinical trials (e.g., RACE V, DECISION, EHRA-PATHS). Uses big data, AI, and biobanks for AF risk prediction. Key projects include the EmbRACE network studying AF pathophysiology and the MyDigiTwin AI consortium.

Awards & Grants: NWO Rubicon (2009), NWO Veni (2012), ESC Academic Grant (2015), Fellowships from ESC/AHA. Leads national consortia like CVON-RACE V and CVON-AI.

Teaching & Mentorship: Supervised 17 PhD students, currently mentoring 15. His team includes postdocs, assistant professors, and medical students. Active in training future clinical researchers.

Key Contributions: Over 350 publications, including landmark studies on AF genetics, AI-driven ECG analysis, and multimorbidity impacts. Coordinated 2024 ESC AF management guidelines.