Vera RUDZITE

Vera RUDZITE

(08.12.1929-14.08.2007)

Professor Vera RUDZITE

Leading Researcher
Latvian Institute of Cardiology
Pilsonu iela 13
Riga, LV 1002
Latvia

Interests:

Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry
Tryptophan, Pteridines
Internal Medicine
Cardiovascular Diseases
Atherosclerosis
Funding Policy of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry

Languages: Latvian, English, Russian

Education:

Medical Academy of Latvia, cum laude, 1955
Dr.med. (Candidate of Science in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), Medical Academy of Latvia, 1960
Dr.habil.med. (Doctor of Science in former USSR), USSR Academy of Medicine, Moscow, 1968

Experience:

Physician (internal medicine), Smiltene, Latvia, 1955-1956
Researcher and Senior Researcher, Latvian Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 1956-1979
Senior Researcher, Latvian Institute of Cardiology, 1979-1981
Head, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Latvian Institute of Cardiology, 1981 - 1997

Honours and Awards:

Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1993
Full Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1994
Member, New-York Academy of Science, 1992
The Latvian Academy of Sciences Pauls Stradins Prize (in medicine), 1992
Professor, Latvian Institute of Cardiology, 1993
International Science Foundation Award for publications in international scientific journals, 1993
20th Century Award for Achievement, International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England, 1992
International Woman of the year 1992-1993, International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England, 1992
State Emeritus Scientist, 1997

Memberships:

International Study Group for Tryptophan Research
International Society of Pteridines
International Society of Pathophysiology
International Society of Preventive Cardiology
Association of Latvian Scientists
Latvian Association of University Women
Latvian Society of Biochemists
Latvian Society of Pathophysiology
Latvian Society of Cardiology

Recent/Representative Publications:

V.Rudzite. Quantitative changes in the blood platelet and leukocyte count in tryptophan content of serum proteins in cases of malignant tumours. - Neoplasma, 1963, vol. 10, N 1. pp. 35-44.
V.Rudzite. Tryptophan, 1973, Leningrad:Medicine, 169 pp. (in Russian).
V.Rudzite. Metabolites of Tryptophan in the Development of Diabetes Mellitus, 1981, Riga:Zinatne, 84 pp. (in Russian).
V.Rudzite et.al. Bradyarrhythmias and myocardial cell failure induced by kynurenine. In: Progress in Tryptophan and Serotonin Research, 1986, Berlin-New York: Walter de Gruyter & Co, pp. 131-136.
V.Rudzite et.al. The relationship between kynurenine and arterial blood pressure. In: Progress in Tryptophan and Serotonin Research, 1986, Berlin-New York: Walter de Gruyter & Co, pp. 127-130.
V.Rudzite et.al. Besonderheiten der Nikotinsäurebildung bei koronare Herzkrankheit unter Berücksichtigung von Herzrhythmusstörungen. - Z. gesamte inn. Med., 1988, Bd. 43, N 3, S. 60-65.
V.Rudzite et.al. Kynurenine and lipid metabolism. - Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1991, vol. 294, pp. 463-466.
V.Rudzite et.al. Serum kynurenine and neopterin concentration in patients with cardiomyopathy. - Immunology Letters, 1992, vol. 32, pp. 125-130.
V.Rudzite et.al. Influence of kynurenine, neopterin noradrenaline and pyridoxal-5-phosphate on cholesterol and phospholipid biosynthesis in vitro. - Pteridines, 1993, vol. 4, N 3, pp. 126-130.
V.Rudzite et.al. The significance of increased kynurenine level in blood to the development of cardio-vascular pathology. - Acta Medica Baltica, 1994, vol. 1, N 1, pp. 4-19.
V.Rudzite et.al. Effect of sepiapterin, 7,8-dihydrobiopterin, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterinand xantopterin on cholesterol and phospholipid content and phospholipid biosynthesis in vitro. - Pteridines, 1995, vol. 6, N 2, pp. 69-73.
V.Rudzite et.al. Kynurenine and pteridines in changes of membrane fluidity. - Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1996, vol. 398, pp. 255-261.
V.Rudzite et.al. Serum tryptophan, kynurenine and neopterin in patients with Guillain-Barre-syndrome (GBS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). - Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1996, vol. 398, pp. 183-187.
V.Rudzite et.al. Changes in phospholipid biosynthesis and cholesterol contents induced by 7,8-dihydroneopterin, biopterin and isoxanthopterin. - Pteridines, 1996, vol. 7, N 1, pp. 24-28.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, G.Baier-Bitterlich, B.Widner, G.Reibnegger, D.Fuchs. Pteridines and lipid metabolism. - Pteridines, 1998, vol. 9, N 2, pp. 103-112.
A.Martinsons, V.Rudzite, B.Widner, D.Fuchs. Neopterinand kynurenine in mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis. - Pteridines, 1998, vol. 9, N 3, p. 155.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, J.Jirgensons. Metabolites of tryptophan and pteridines in path to atherosclerotic disfunction. - Pathophysiology, 1998, vol. 5 (Suppl. 1), p. 49.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, J.Jirgensons.Changes in membrane fluidity induced by triptophan and its metabolites. - Adv. Exp. Med. & Biol. , 1999, vol. 467, pp. 353-368.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, B.Widner, D.Fuchs. Similarity between the action of pteridines and kynurenines on lipid metabolism. - Pteridines, 1999, vol. 10, pp. 133-140.
A.Martinsons, V.Rudzite, O. Bratslavska. The influence of kynurenine and neopterin on tubular epithelia cells and alveolar fibroblasts. - In: Tryptophan, Serotonin, and Melatonin: Basic Aspects and Applications /ed. Huether et al.), 1999, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publ., pp. 347-352.
A.Martinsons, V.Rudzite, O. Bratslavska, D.Fuchs, B.Widner. Kynurenine and neopterin in chronic glomerulonephritis. - In: Tryptophan, Serotonin, and Melatonin: Basic Aspects and Applications /ed. Huether et al.), 1999, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publ., pp. 579-586.
V.Rudzite, A.Silava, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, M.Jager, K.Trushinskis, D.Fuchs. Association between serum neopterin and homocysteine concentration as well as pyridoxal-5-phosphate deficiency in patients with coronary heart desease. - Pteridines, 2001, vol. 12, N 3, pp. 130-134.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trushinskis, S.Jegere, B.Frick, D.Fuchs.Comparing the sensitivity of pyridoxal-5-phosphate, homocysteine and neopterin in coronary heart disease. - Pteridines, 2002, vol. 13, N 3, pp. 100-103.
B.Wirleiter, V.Rudzite, G.Neurauter, et.al. Immune activation and degradation of triptophan in coronary heart disease. - Eur. J. Clin. Invest., 2003, vol. 33, pp. 350-354.
B.Frick, V.Rudzite, K.Schrocksnadel, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trusinskis, D.Fuchs. Homocysteine, B vitamins and immune activation in coronary heart disease. - Pteridines, 2003, vol. 14, pp. 82-87.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, D.Fuchs, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trusinskis. Serum concentration of C-creative protein, neopterin and phospholipids in patients with different grade of coronary heart disease. - Pteridines, 2003, vol. 14, pp. 133-137.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trushinskis, S.Jegere. Changes in lipid metabolism in patients with coronary heart disease. - Proc. Latv. Acad. Sci., B, 2003, vol. 57, N 1/2, pp. 22-26.
V.Rudzite, D.Fuchs, U.Kalnins, E.Jurika, A.Silava, A.Erglis, K.Trushinskis, S.Jegere. Prognostic value of tryptophan load test followed by serum kynurenine determination. It's comparison with pyridoxal-5-phosohate, kynurenine, homocysteine, and neopterin amounts. - Advances in Exp. Med. & Biol., 2003, vol. 527, pp. 307-315.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, D.Fuchs, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trushinskis. The significance of secondary risk factors in the progression of coronary artery disease. - Pteridines, 2004, vol. 15, pp. 61-62.
V.Rudzite, E.Jurika, D.Fuchs, U.Kalnins, A.Erglis, K.Trushinskis. Indexes of inflammation and other secondary risk factors in the progression of coronary artery disease. - Seminars in Cardiology, 2004, vol. 10, pp. 140-145.

Research Projects:

V.Rudzite (Head of Project). The Influence of Kynurenine on the Development of Heart and Renal Pathology. Latvian Council of Science (1991-1993).
V.Rudzite (Head of Project). Effect of Kynurenine and Related Compounds to the Development of Pathology. Latvian Council of Science ( 1994-1996).
V.Rudzite (Head of Project). The Study of Tryptophan and Kynurenine metabolites Significance to Favour the Development of Atherosclerosis. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000).
V.Rudzite (Head of Project). Study and Evaluation of Secondary Risk Factors/ Conditions in the Development and Progression of Coronary Heart Disease.Latvian Council of Science (2001 -2004).
V.Rudzite (Head of Project). Further Study and Evaluation of Secondary Risk Factors/ Conditions in the Development and Progression of Coronary Heart Disease. Latvian Council of Science (2005 -).

Last update 20.11.2007