: This hypothesis remains a central pillar of cardiovascular medicine, having inspired over 8,000 follow-up papers from laboratories worldwide. Clinical Leadership and the Cholesterol Trials
Steinberg’s most significant scientific contribution was the development of the . Over three decades, he and his colleagues published over 100 manuscripts providing evidence that oxidized LDL cholesterol drives the development of atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats and cholesterol in artery walls). Daniel Steinberg - Michigan
: His research showed that oxidized LDL is proinflammatory and immunogenic, explaining the inflammatory nature of arterial lesions. : This hypothesis remains a central pillar of
His work continues to influence major research institutions, including the University of Michigan Medical School , where the study of cardiovascular disease and lipid metabolism remains a primary focus of the Frankel Cardiovascular Center . Daniel Steinberg, 1922–2015 - PMC - NIH : His research showed that oxidized LDL is
This was a landmark feat given the medical skepticism of the time and the difficulty of the available treatments, which Steinberg once famously described as being "more or less like eating sand" due to their poor palatability.