Dr Davor Pavlovic has been elected President of the European Section of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR).
Currently, Prof Mauro Giacca (King’s College London) serves as Past President, Prof Christoph Maack (University Clinic Würzburg) as President, and Prof Frank Lezoulach (Université de Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier) as President-Elect.
Dr Pavlovic’s 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.
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.
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’s scientific excellence and international reach.
The presidency has been held by:
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 of Birmingham. 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’s President, he stated:
“I 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.”
The 39th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Heart Research European Section will be hosted at the University of Birmingham 22-25 June 2026. The local organising committee consists of Dr Davor Pavlovic, Prof Katja Gehmlich, Dr Andrew Holmes, Dr Chris O’Shea 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 of Birmingham campus, located in leafy Edgbaston, a historic suburb of Birmingham 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’s top 100 universities. It counts 10 Nobel Prize winners among its staff and alumni.
Associate Professor in Cardiovascular Sciences
Staff profile for Dr Davor Pavlovic, Associate Professor in Cardiovascular Sciences, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medicine and Health.
