Themistocles Assimes

Themistocles (Tim) Assimes is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) at Stanford University School of Medicine and holds a courtesy appointment in Epidemiology and Population Health. He is a clinical cardiologist with expertise in genomic determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD), precision medicine, and multi-omic data analysis. Born in Montreal, Canada, he earned his MD from McGill University, an MS in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, and a PhD in Epidemiology & Biostatistics (McGill). His research focuses on genomic factors underlying CHD risk, including polygenic scores, Mendelian randomization, and integrative omics. He leads major consortia like CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and chairs the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Genetics, Proteomics & Biomarkers group. He is also a key investigator in the Million Veteran Program (MVP) and Precision Health Service at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System.

Education: MD (McGill, 1994), MS (McGill, 2001), PhD (McGill, 2008), Board Certifications in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine. His work spans over 30 years of clinical practice and 25 years of research.

Research Interests: Genomics of CHD, cardiometabolic traits, multi-omic integration (genetic, epigenetic, proteomic), and translational precision medicine. He explores genetic architecture across diverse populations and develops population-specific risk prediction tools. His studies leverage large consortia like WHI, MVP, and TOPMed to address health disparities in genomic medicine.

Publications & Collaborations: Over 200 peer-reviewed articles, including high-impact studies in Nature Genetics, Circulation, and Science. Key projects include genetic analysis of CAD in African ancestry populations, proteomic biomarkers for insulin resistance, and causal inference using Mendelian randomization. He collaborates internationally with institutions like Vanderbilt, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the University of Pennsylvania.

• Awards: AAAS Fellow, American Society of Clinical Investigation, American Heart Association Mid-Career Research Award
• Leadership: Co-chair of MVP P&P Committee, Director of Medical Genomics at VA Palo Alto, Steering Committee member for Project Baseline
• Grants: NIH-funded projects on polygenic scores, WGS in CAD, and epigenetic aging mechanisms

Labs/Teams: Coordinates the Precision Health Service at VA Palo Alto and leads the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute’s genomic medicine initiatives. His team integrates clinical, genetic, and omics data to advance personalized therapies for cardiovascular diseases.