Year

Discoverer/Scientist

Event/Occurrence

Comment

1913

Nicholai Anichkov

Observed vascular lesions in rabbits fed with purified cholesterol dissolved in Sunflower oil.

This observation was unknown to the West until 1933.

1950

John Gofman

Segregation of low and high-density lipoproteins using centrifugal device.

1950s

John Gofman

Multicenter study of lipoprotein in human plasma.

Correlation made between cholesterol and atherosclerosis.

1972

Smith & Slater

Measured LDL in artery walls and compared with serum cholesterol levels.

Association between LDL cholesterol and atherosclerosis.

1979

Goldstein et al.

Discovery of receptor site for LDL and binding site on macrophages leading to degradation of LDL.

Helped reinforce the lipid theory of atherosclerosis.

1981

Henriksen et al.

Postulated that changes in the endothelium allows LDL uptake and foam cells formation.

Hypothesis of the oxidative modification of LDL.

1983, 1984

Hessler et al.; Steinbreecher et al.

Cell culture and in vitro studies confirmed LDL undergoing oxidative modification in endothelial cells.

Confirmed the hypothesis and hence the beginning of the OxLDL theory of atherosclerosis.

1987

FDA approved the registration of statin.

Statins work by inhibiting the HMG CoA reductase production in the liver.