Prof. Michael Joner studied medicine at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, where he completed his dissertation on the topic of integrin regulation during heart failure. During his course, he went on to complete a 2-year fellowship in cardiovascular pathology under the lead of Prof. Virmani in Washington DC. After returning to Germany, he was appointed as a W3 professor for early clinical trials and is directing the Department for Structural Heart Disease at the German Heart Center Munich. The Joner Lab is engaged in the translational assessment of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic methods related to obstructive coronary artery disease. Specifically, the research group develops and evaluates novel molecular hybrid intravascular imaging catheters aimed at delineating the functional profile of atherosclerotic coronary plaques next to their morphological characterization.