**Meet the editor**

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

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has always been his passion. He has lectured worldwide and written >100 peer-reviewed articles—many related to ECMO. In addition, he is active in numerous professional societies, clinical research projects, and various quality, process improvement, and multidisciplinary committees.
