Dr. Valentina Puntmann

MD, PhD, FRCP

Consultant Physician, Cardiologist and Clinical Pharmacologist
Senior Clinical Investigator DZHK and CPI Principal Investigator
Institute for Experimental and Translational Cardiovascular Imaging
DZHK Centre for Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Cardiology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main

Career Overview

Dr Puntmann is a board-certified cardiologist and clinical pharmacologist specializing in early recognition and treatment of heart conditions that may lead to heart failure. She is a worldwide renowned expert in inflammatory cardiomyopathies (COVID-19, viral myocarditis, cardio-oncology, cardio-HIV and cardio-lupus), as well as hypertrophic and hypertensive heart disease.

She is passionate about dedicated interdisciplinary cardiac care of patients with chronic conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus or chronic infections, such as HIV.

Dr Puntmann received her clinical training in the UK (St George’s Hospital, Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospital) and Germany (University Hospital Frankfurt). She was awarded a PhD in 2004, became Honorary Lecturer at Imperial College London (2007) and Senior Lecturer at King’s College London (2011). She holds Clinical Associate Professorship at the University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany and is DZHK Principal Investigator (German Center for Cardiovascular Research).

She has authored numerous scientific publications and contributed to conference presentations. Dr Puntmann and her students have been awarded a number of excellent research prizes. She serves as Member of EuroCMR Board of Examiners and is past Member of the SCMR Clinical Trial Committee. She directs the Goethe CVI Academy on the use of cardiac magnetic resonance in everyday practice. She was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK) in 2014.

Qualifications

Year Qualification
2019 CCST (Board Exam), Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Germany
2011 CCST (Board Exam), Internal Medicine/Clinical Pharmacology, United Kingdom
2006 MRCP (Royal College of Physicians UK)
2004 PhD (Doctor of Science), St. George’s / University of Ljubljana
2000 Medical Licence and Professional Registration, Slovenia
1999 MD (Doctor of Medicine), University Ljubljana, Slovenia

Accreditations

  • EuroCMR Recertification (2019, 2024)
  • EACVI TTE (2018)
  • SCMR Level III (2011)
  • SCCT Level II (2011)
  • EuroCMR Level III (2011)
  • British Society of Echocardiography (2006)
  • Advanced Life Support (2006, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2022)

Research Focus Areas

T1 Mapping — A Biomarker of Diffuse Myocardial Disease

T1 mapping by CMR is emerging as a quantifiable biomarker supporting the non-invasive characterisation of diffuse myocardial disease, which underscores the underlying pathophysiology of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathies. Dr Puntmann led the International T1 Multicentre CMR Study, focusing on validation, standardization and translation of T1 mapping imaging for clinical use.

Myocarditis and Inflammatory Cardiomyopathies

Myocarditis is a major cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality with challenges ranging from establishing diagnosis to effective treatment. CMR and especially T1 and T2 mapping now allow high diagnostic accuracy in confirmation and exclusion of disease, staging and activity assessment.

Proof of Concept Drug Studies (Phase II, III)

Recent scientific advances have improved insight into mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets in myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathies. CMR based on T1 mapping and late gadolinium enhancement supports modern diagnostic pathways identifying patients who might benefit from anti-inflammatory intervention.

Selected Publications

  1. Puntmann VO, Carerj ML, Wieters I, et al. Outcomes of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients Recently Recovered From Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). JAMA Cardiol. 2020;5(11):1265-1273.

  2. Nagel E, Greenwood JP, McCann GP, Puntmann VO, et al. Magnetic Resonance Perfusion or Fractional Flow Reserve in Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(25):2418-2428.

  3. Winau L, Hinojar Baydes R, Puntmann VO, et al. High-sensitive troponin is associated with subclinical imaging biosignature of inflammatory cardiovascular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77(11):1590-1598.

  4. Puntmann VO, Carr-White G, Jabbour A, et al. Native T1 and ECV of Noninfarcted Myocardium and Outcome in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71(7):766-778.

  5. Puntmann VO, Valbuena S, Hinojar R, et al. Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) expert consensus for CMR imaging endpoints in clinical research. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2018;20(1):67.

  6. Puntmann VO, Carr-White G, Jabbour A, et al. T1-mapping and outcome in nonischaemic cardiomyopathy: all-cause mortality and heart failure. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2016;9(1):40-50.

  7. Puntmann VO, Isted A, Hinojar R, et al. T1 and T2 Mapping in Recognition of Early Cardiac Involvement in Systemic Sarcoidosis. Radiology. 2017;285(1):63-72.

  8. Hinojar R, Foote L, Puntmann VO, et al. Native T1 in discrimination of acute and convalescent stages in patients with clinical diagnosis of myocarditis. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2015;8(1):37-46.

  9. Puntmann VO, D’Cruz D, Smith Z, et al. Native myocardial T1 mapping by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in subclinical cardiomyopathy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2013;6(2):295-301.

  10. Puntmann VO, Voigt T, Chen Z, et al. Native T1 mapping in differentiation of normal myocardium from diffuse disease in hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2013;6(4):475-84.

Patent

Method for differentiation of normal myocardium from diffuse disease using T1-mapping in nonischemic cardiomyopathies (based on PR-MS 33.297, PR-MS 33.837, PR-MS 33.654)

Contact

Institute for Experimental and Translational Cardiovascular Imaging
University Hospital Frankfurt
Theodor-Stern-Kai 7
60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany