Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Yoshihiro Miwa Endowed Chair, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA

Prof Masanori Aikawa is a distinguished professor whose research focuses on atherosclerosis, macrophage biology, lipids, and drug discovery. A pioneer in systems-based cardiovascular research, he integrates multi-omics, network science, single-cell analysis, and machine learning to translate discoveries into clinical practice.

He is the founding director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a principal investigator at the Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology. His work has been recognized with many awards and honors, including the 2024 Alexander Clowes Lectureship from the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology as well as multiple American Heart Association awards for scientific excellence.

Masanori is Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 

Samuel A. Levine Professor of Medicine and Hersey Distinguished Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Physician-in-Chief Emeritus, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA

Prof Joseph Loscalzo is an internationally renowned physician-scientist recognized for his pioneering work in vascular biology, redox biology, systems pathobiology, and network medicine.

Author of over 1,200 scientific articles, 54 books, and 33 patents, Joseph has received numerous honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Sciences of Belgium. Recognized as an outstanding cardiovascular scientist, clinician, and teacher who is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of physicians, he was awarded the William Silen Lifetime Achievement Award in Mentoring from Harvard Medical School. 

He is Editor-at-Large for the New England Journal of Medicine, Senior Editor of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, and lead editor of Network Medicine: Complex Systems in Human Disease and Therapeutics. 

Professor of Medicine
Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium

Prof Jean-Luc Balligand is an internationally recognized expert in cardiovascular pharmacology and nitric oxide biology. His research focuses on the biochemistry and cellular regulation of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and their role in cardiac myocyte contractility, myocardial remodeling, and regeneration.  

His team’s international collaborations include the Leducq Foundation Network of Excellence in Cardiovascular Sciences, the FP6 EUGeneHeart Consortium, and the Horizon 2020 ‘Beta3_LVH’ clinical trial testing mirabegron for heart failure prevention. He also led initiatives to apply systems biology approaches to complex medical conditions, including long COVID.

Jean-Luc serves on the board of the European Society of Cardiology Council on Basic Cardiovascular Science—bridging the gap between science and clinical practice—and he co-directs their research summer school. He is past president of the FATH Pole within IREC and a practicing physician at the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, where he combines translational research with clinical cardiology. 

Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology
NYU Langone Health, USA

Dr Chiara Giannarelli is an associate professor at NYU Langone Health, where her research bridges systems pharmacology, systems immunology, and molecular biology to uncover mechanisms driving cardiovascular disease. She is recognized for pioneering single-cell proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of human vascular tissues, a landmark in atherosclerosis research. Her recent studies have revealed how immune modulation and drug repositioning can target vascular inflammation. 

A dedicated leader within the American Heart Association (AHA), she serves on several committees, and has helped shape AHA policies in science and medicine while mentoring emerging investigators.

Supported by the NIH, the AHA, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the PolyBio Foundation, Chiara leads a translational research program that integrates advanced systems biology and precision medicine to develop innovative therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease. 

Professor of Medicine, University of Lagos
Vice President, World Heart Federation, Nigeria  

Prof Amam Mbakwem is a leading professor and consultant cardiologist. After completing her residency in internal medicine and cardiology at Lagos University Teaching Hospital she advanced her training at the Wolfson Heart Institute, Tel Aviv, and Azienda Sanitaria, Tuscany and was awarded Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians. 

Amam’s research now focuses on heart failure, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular disease in women, and the psychosocial and communication aspects of cardiac care. 

An advocate for equitable cardiovascular health across Africa, Amam is a member of the Nigerian Hypertension Society guidelines committee, a past president of the Nigerian Cardiac Society, a member of the European Society of Cardiology working group on peripartum cardiomyopathy, and current Vice President of the World Heart Federation.