The aim of the article is to review the contribution of WHO coordinated Kaunas-Rotterdam Intervention Study (KRIS) to the development of epidemiological research in cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases at Kaunas University of Medicine and in Lithuania at large. KRIS impact on broadening international collaboration with and through WHO at Kaunas University of Medicine and Lithuania at large is presented. KRIS contribution to the development of scientific basis for cardiovascular risk assessment as well as backing-up the concept of integrated prevention of noncommunicable diseases is highlighted. Its role as a bridging agent between research, education and public health development in Lithuania as well as internationally is being discussed. The road that KRIS experience based team underwent from executors of classical epidemiological studies to generation of new concepts in noncommunicable disease prevention as well as contribution to national health policy formulation is presented.