Dr. Stefan D. Anker, MD, PhD, FESC

Stefan D. Anker, MD, PhD, FESC, works as a cardiologist and cardiometabolic scientist at Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin in Berlin, Germany, with a career centred on heart failure, cachexia and cardiometabolic science. The current appointment of Dr. Stefan Anker is Professor of Tissue Homeostasis in Cardiology and Metabolism.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Stefan Anker was Professor of Cardiology and Cachexia Research at Charite from 2002 to 2014 and Professor of Innovative Clinical Trials at University Medical Center Gottingen from 2014 to 2017, before returning to Charite in June 2017. Recognition for this work includes the Copernicus Prize of the German Research Foundation and the Foundation for Polish Science.

Much of what a cardiologist does at the bedside rests on trials designed by colleagues who work primarily in research. These specialists are medically trained cardiologists whose principal contribution is evidence rather than individual consultations. For Dr. Stefan Anker the subject of that work is heart failure, cachexia and cardiometabolic science.

Key Facts About Dr. Stefan Anker

• Full Name And Credentials: Stefan D. Anker, MD, PhD, FESC
• Profession: Cardiologist and cardiometabolic scientist
• Field Of Focus: Heart failure, cachexia and cardiometabolic science
• Current Position: Professor of Tissue Homeostasis in Cardiology and Metabolism
• Institution: Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Sees Patients: Not in routine outpatient clinics; works mainly in research and leadership
• Previous Appointments: Was Professor of Cardiology and Cachexia Research at Charite from 2002 to 2014 and Professor of Innovative Clinical Trials at University Medical Center Gottingen from 2014 to 2017, before returning to Charite in June 2017

Qualification Record For Dr. Stefan Anker

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Medical Degree: MD, Charite Medical School, Humboldt University of Berlin, 1993
• Doctorate: PhD, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, 1998
• Training: Clinical training in Germany and the United Kingdom, including a research fellowship at Imperial College London

Dr. Stefan Anker Professional Focus

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Stefan Anker as centred on:

• Acute and chronic heart failure
• Cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle wasting
• Iron deficiency and its treatment in heart failure
• Cardio oncology in patients with advanced cancer
• Cardiovascular biomarkers and device therapy
• Telemedicine and remote patient management

Academic And Clinical Leadership Of Dr. Stefan Anker

• Professor of Tissue Homeostasis in Cardiology and Metabolism at Charite Berlin since June 2017
• Founding president of the International Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders, established in 2008
• Founding Editor in Chief of ESC Heart Failure, the first open access heart failure journal, and of the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
• Vice President of the European Society of Cardiology from 2016 to 2018, having served on its board from 2012
• President of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology from 2012 to 2014, and a board member since 2006
• Member of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research
• Member of more than thirty international clinical trial steering committees, chairing or co-chairing EMPEROR-Preserved, FAIR-HF, FAIR-HF2 and RESHAPE-HF2 among others
• Served on several European Society of Cardiology heart failure guideline task forces

Professional Recognition Of Dr. Stefan Anker

• Copernicus Prize of the German Research Foundation and the Foundation for Polish Science, 2018, awarded jointly with Piotr Ponikowski
• Doctor honoris causa of the Medical University of Wroclaw, 2020
• Named a Highly Cited Researcher from 2015 to 2020
• Author of more than 1,000 articles with well over one hundred thousand citations
• His 1997 Lancet paper established wasting as an independent risk factor for survival in chronic heart failure
• His FAIR-HF trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009, established intravenous iron therapy in heart failure with iron deficiency

Dr. Stefan Anker Primary Location

Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin

Berlin, Germany. This is primarily an academic and research base rather than a general outpatient clinic. Enquiries about research, teaching or media are handled by the institution rather than by this directory.

Background On Heart Failure And Cardiac Cachexia

Comorbidity is the rule in heart failure, not the exception. Most patients also have kidney disease, diabetes, iron deficiency, atrial fibrillation, obesity or lung disease, and each one changes what can safely be prescribed. Research in this area studies those overlaps directly rather than excluding them, because trials that enrol only the straightforward patient produce answers that do not fit the clinic. Iron deficiency is a good example: common, easy to miss, measurable with a blood test and treatable.

More Specialists In Heart Failure And Cardiac Cachexia

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

• Dr. Gerasimos Filippatos, heart failure and cardio-oncology at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Attikon University Hospital
• Dr. John McMurray, heart failure clinical trials at University of Glasgow School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
• Dr. Marco Metra, acute and chronic heart failure at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele
• Dr. Mark Petrie, interventional heart failure at University of Glasgow School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Golden Jubilee National Hospital

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Getting In Touch With Dr. Stefan Anker

This specialist does not run routine outpatient clinics. Dr. Stefan Anker works mainly in research, clinical trials, teaching and professional leadership. He leads a research field in tissue homeostasis and cachexia and directs international clinical trials rather than running a consulting clinic. Research, teaching and media enquiries go to Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin directly. If you are looking for an appointment, ask your own doctor for a referral to a practising cardiologist, or use the enquiry button on this page and we will point you towards one in the directory.

Questions About Dr. Stefan Anker Answered

What did Dr. Stefan Anker study?

MD, Charite Medical School, Humboldt University of Berlin, 1993. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Stefan Anker?

Stefan D. Anker, MD, PhD, FESC. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Stefan Anker hold?

Dr. Stefan Anker is Professor of Tissue Homeostasis in Cardiology and Metabolism, based at Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin.

What is Heart Failure And Cardiac Cachexia?

Heart Failure And Cardiac Cachexia is the area of cardiology concerned with heart failure, cachexia and cardiometabolic science. Cardiologists working in it, including Dr. Stefan Anker, diagnose and treat these conditions and carry out the research that sets the standard of care for them.

Has Dr. Stefan Anker received professional recognition?

Yes. Copernicus Prize of the German Research Foundation and the Foundation for Polish Science, 2018, awarded jointly with Piotr Ponikowski. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Does Dr. Stefan Anker hold leadership roles in the field?

Yes. Professor of Tissue Homeostasis in Cardiology and Metabolism at Charite Berlin since June 2017. A fuller list of appointments appears above.

Citations And Further Reading On Dr. Stefan Anker

• European Society of Cardiology speaker profile
• European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery faculty profile
• German Centre for Cardiovascular Research Copernicus Award announcement

Compilation And Review Notes For Dr. Stefan Anker

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Update note: Was Professor of Cardiology and Cachexia Research at Charite from 2002 to 2014 and Professor of Innovative Clinical Trials at University Medical Center Gottingen from 2014 to 2017, before returning to Charite in June 2017.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Reader Notice For This Heart Failure And Cardiac Cachexia Profile

Information only, not medical advice, and not a listing for appointments. For individual care, see your own doctor. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.