Edited by Dr Anna Melidoni, Editor
AM: Tell us a bit about yourself and your current focus of research.
CF: My name is Chengming Fan, and I am a Surgeon in the Department of Cardiovascular surgery, at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China. My current research focuses on cardiovascular surgery (Pediatric Cardiac surgery, Cardiac valvular surgery, CABG, OPCABG) as well as the treatment of ischemic heart disease with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-related strategies and using animal models.
AM: What do you think is the most fascinating recent development in cardiovascular research/Cardiology?
CF: Although it was previously thought that mammals have lost the ability of heart regeneration during evolution, recent studies have shown that the neonatal mice and pigs have a strong regenerative response after injury, and newborn mouse hearts have been shown to fully recover from injury within the first few days of life, even though this regenerative potential decreases rapidly after birth.
AM: Is there an area of Cardiovascular biology/Cardiology that you think is currently under-explored?
CF: The full assessment of the regenerative potential of neonatal preclinical animal and human hearts and extending to the adult mammalian heart in order to regenerate cardiomyocytes after cardiac injury.
AM: Where do you see (or where would you like to see) the cardiovascular/Cardiology research field 10 years from now?
CF: I envision decoding the underlying regenerative mechanism of cardiac tissue and taking advantage of the strategies of cardiac regenerative medicine and biomedical engineering to regenerate functioning heart tissue. This will undoubtedly safe lives.
AM: What does it mean to you to be an Editorial Board Member for BMC Cardiovascular Disorders?
CF: It means a lot! Firstly, it is a progress of self-learning and self-improvement. Secondly, it helps to enhance my academic influence. Lastly, my social network will be extended to peer experts around the world who share the same research interests.
AM: What is one piece of advice you would give to reviewers as an EBM overseeing peer review ?
CF: Giving the feeback of accepting or declining the invitation to write a report on the submitted manuscript ASAP.
AM: What is one piece of advice you would give to prospective authors ?
CF: Read carefully the instructions for the authors.
AM: What would you change in scientific publishing if you could?
CF: Try to shorten the time of handling the manuscript.
