He is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist in the field of microcirculatory as well as large artery research, notably in the context of cardiovascular complications of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Since 1990, the work of Professor Stehouwer and his group has led to 79 completed PhD theses, and more than 800 peer-reviewed papers in international journals. His work is well-recognized as shown by a Hirsh index of 110 (Web of Science); >52,000 citations; several awards, such as the Dr. F. Gerritzen Award for excellent diabetes research (Dutch Diabetes Research Foundation, 1993); the Castelli-Pedroli Award for excellent research into the complications of diabetes (European Association for the Study of Diabetes, 2005); the Dutch Society of Vascular Medicine Career Award (2007); the Ruitenga Van Swieten honorary professorship of the University of Amsterdam (2009); and the Donald McDonald Award of Artery Society (2017); as well as many invited lectures at (inter)national meetings, such as those of the European Society for Microcirculation, the World Congress for Microcirculation, the European Society for the Study of Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association, the European Society for Cardiology, and the American Heart Association. His research programme focuses on the elucidation of how metabolic changes in (pre)diabetes and the metabolic syndrome cause micro- and macrovascular disease. A key element of the programme is to combine epidemiology, clinical physiology and experimental approaches, in the conviction that these approaches should complement and mutually inspire each other. He is one of the principal investigators of the well-known Hoorn Study (since 1992). He also obtained national and European funding (M€ 16) for, and is the initiator and Scientific Director of, the Maastricht Study (started 2010), which combines very detailed phenotyping (with a focus on microcirculatory, large artery and cardiac function and structure) with an ‘omics’ approach in 7000 individuals without and 2000 with type 2 diabetes to elucidate how diabetes leads not only to classic complications but also to so-called emerging complications such as cognitive dysfunction, mood disorders, liver disease, musculoskeletal disease, pulmonary disease, sleep-disordered breathing, and infectious diseases.