Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, is a cardiologist and a scientist. Born in Cuba, Marbán emigrated to the USA at age 6 as a political refugee. He studied medicine at Yale then ascended the ranks at Johns Hopkins from intern to Chief of Cardiology. In his research career, Marbán, a cellular electrophysiologist by training, has pursued questions of relevance to heart disease, including the creation of the first de novo biological pacemaker as an alternative to electronic pacemakers. Since 2004 the Marbán lab has been intensively studying cardiac progenitor cells, their origins and their therapeutic potential. Marbán’s discoveries form the basis for Deramiocel, a cell therapy product for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A major focus of his work now is on the role of extracellular vesicles as therapeutic platforms. This work has led to the discovery of various novel noncoding RNA drugs, now in development for clinical testing. In 2007, Dr. Marbán became founding director of the Smidt Heart Institute, a multidisciplinary entity which brings together adult and pediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists and researchers to foster discovery and enhance patient care. The Smidt Heart Institute is ranked number #1 among all heart programs in the western USA by USNWR. Among the many honors Dr. Marbán has received are the Basic Research Prize of the American Heart Association (AHA), the Research Achievement Award of the International Society for Heart Research, the Gill Heart Institute Award and the Distinguished Scientist Awards of the AHA and the American College of Cardiology. Marbán's discoveries form the basis for three biotechnology companies, and 48 granted patents.