Professor Mauro Giacca, MD PhD, is Head of the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, King’s College London. Until 2019, he has served as the Director-General of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), a United Nations organisation. Since 2005, he is Full Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Trieste, Italy. Past President of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR) European Section 2021-23 and an elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the United Kingdom. Prof Giacca is considered an expert in cardiovascular gene therapy and the development of biologics for cardiac repair and regeneration. He is the founder of Forcefield Therapeutics and Heqet Therapeutics, which develop novel cardiovascular biologics. His research has been founded by numerous international grants, including two consecutive ERC Advanced Investigator grants, two consecutive Fondation Leducq grants, and a BHF Programme grant.