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University researcher elected President of an international heart society

Dr Davor Pavlovic has been elected President of the European Section of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR).

Dr Davor Pavlovic headshot

Currently, Prof Mauro Giacca (King鈥檚 College London) serves as Past President, Prof Christoph Maack (University Clinic W眉rzburg) as President, and Prof Frank Lezoulach (Universit茅 de Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier) as President-Elect.

Dr Pavlovic鈥檚 six-year term will commence in May 2025, beginning with two years as President-Elect, followed by two years as President, and concluding with two years as Past President.

It is an honour for me to lead the esteemed ISHR European Section and collaborate with my fellow European colleagues towards fostering a more connected and interactive cardiovascular research community.

Dr Davor Pavlovic, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University 麻豆精选.

About the Society

The International Society for Heart Research is a globally recognised organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting cardiovascular research. Established in 1968, ISHR has a membership of over 3,000 scientists across eight international sections: Australasian, Chinese, European, Indian, Japanese, South East Asian, Latin American, and North American. Its mission is to facilitate the discovery and dissemination of knowledge in cardiovascular sciences.

A tradition of leadership and excellence

Dr Pavlovic joins a distinguished line of Presidents who have helped shape the vision and impact of the European Section of the International Society for Heart Research. Over the past decade, the presidency has been held by leading figures in cardiovascular science who have each contributed to strengthening the Society鈥檚 scientific excellence and international reach.

The presidency has been held by:

  • Prof Peter Harris (United Kingdom, 1970鈥1980)
  • Prof Jutta Schaper (Germany, 1980鈥1993)
  • Prof Ketty Schwartz (France, 1993鈥1998)
  • Prof Jean-Jacques Mercadier (France, 1999鈥2002)
  • Prof Gerd Heusch (Germany, 2002鈥2005)
  • Prof Fabio Di Lisa (Italy, 2005鈥2008)
  • Prof Sian Harding (United Kingdom, 2008鈥2010)
  • Prof Thomas Eschenhagen (Germany, 2010鈥2012)
  • Prof Peter Ferdinandy (Hungary, 2012鈥2014)
  • Prof David Eisner (United Kingdom, 2014鈥2016)
  • Prof Rodolphe Fischmeister (France, 2016鈥2018)
  • Prof Lucie Carrier (Germany, 2018鈥2021)
  • Prof Mauro Giacca (United Kingdom, 2021鈥2023)
  • Prof Christoph Maack (Germany, 2023鈥2025)


Each of these presidents has played a vital role in maintaining ISHR-ES as a dynamic and inclusive community that nurtures young investigators while driving forward scientific discovery.

Dr Pavlovic leads the Cardiac Diseases Theme at the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University 麻豆精选. He has served on the Council of the ISHR European Section since 2023. He is also Editor in Chief of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology PLUS, an open access journal of the ISHR, which shares novel mechanistic insights into cardiovascular disease.

Upon being elected as the society鈥檚 President, he stated:

鈥淚 am deeply grateful to my colleagues for entrusting me with this privilege. I still remember attending my first ISHR European Section meeting in Manchester in 2006 and how impressed I was - not just by the quality of the science, but also by the camaraderie and how approachable even the most senior scientists were. I am incredibly proud that the ISHR still provides that same platform to early and mid-career researchers and will strive to support and represent the diverse views of ISHR members across all career stages.鈥

Bringing the society to Birmingham

The 39th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Heart Research European Section will be hosted at the University 麻豆精选 22-25 June 2026. The local organising committee consists of Dr Davor Pavlovic, Prof Katja Gehmlich, Dr Andrew Holmes, Dr Chris O鈥橲hea and Dr Keith Brain. Preparations are being made to welcome over 400 prominent researchers from across the continent to share their knowledge and foster collaborations to further cardiovascular research. The meeting will take place on the scenic University 麻豆精选 campus, located in leafy Edgbaston, a historic suburb 麻豆精选 known for its contributions to the Industrial Revolution. Founded in 1900, the University is part of the prestigious Russell Group and consistently ranks among the world鈥檚 top 100 universities. It counts 10 Nobel Prize winners among its staff and alumni.