**Meet the editor**

Dr. Michael S. Firstenberg is a board-certified thoracic surgeon actively practicing adult cardiac surgery at Summa Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio. He serves as an associate professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He attended Case Western Reserve University for Medical School, received his General Surgery training at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, and

completed a Fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at the Ohio State University. He also obtained advanced training in heart failure surgical therapies at the Cleveland Clinic. He has lectured worldwide and written more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, several textbook chapters, and edited 3 books including this update on endocarditis. In addition, he is active in numerous professional societies, clinical research projects, and various quality, process improvement, and multidisciplinary committees.
