ISSUE 3 Saturday October 2025 Thoracic11 Disease Domain
DAILY NEWS
INNOVATE DISCOVER EDUCATE
The official newspaper of the 39th EACTS Annual Meeting 2025
New EACTS President, Rafael Sádaba
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Unlocking the secrets to immortality
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The new Editorin-Chief of the EJCTS
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A DUTY TO DEFEND THE FRAGILITY OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM In his cautionary Presidential Address, Professor Volkmar Falk issued a stark warning that the value of Academic Freedom - the right to research, teach and express ideas without undue interference - is under threat and reminded us that we all have a responsibility to maintain its integrity.
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Francis Fontan Fund Fellowships
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EACTS 2025 trial update session
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oday, we take for granted that we can meet here in Copenhagen for an undisturbed scientific exchange, express different opinions and debate without government interference. But we cannot ignore the signs that indicate times are changing...” he began. “One of the most important advocates of Academic Freedom as we understand it today was the German philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, who believed that true knowledge emerges not from written transmission or dogmatic oversight, but from critical thinking, open-ended discovery, dialogue and personal intellectual development.” He explained that in the aftermath of World War II, policy makers in Europe understood that Academic Freedom must be protected against future political interference, and it has been protected on a
national and European level. Of course, he acknowledged that Academic Freedom is not absolute: it is subject to professional standards, ethical responsibilities, relevance to the subject matter, and, in some cases, institutional governance. Many of society’s most significant transformations - from advances in public health to innovations in climate policy - are the result of independent, long-term research, fostered within academia’s protected environment for investigation and open dialogue. Moreover, there is a growing body of empirical research that demonstrates that Academic Freedom contributes not only to intellectual growth and societal wellbeing, but also to economic prosperity, public health and global cooperation. He said the evidence is clear - Academic Freedom is not merely a normative democratic value, a key element of human rights and an expression of human dignity, but a measurable determinant of societal innovation. “Unfortunately,” he added, “the reverse is also true. When countries restrict Academic Freedom, they inevitably slow down the very engine that drives new technologies, and Continued on page 2
EACTS appointments from the General Assembly
We are pleased to announce that at yesterday’s EACTS General Assembly, members re-elected Dr. Patrick Myers as Secretary General of the Association, and elected Professor Lorenzo Galletti as Vice President, Professor Gloria Färber to the position of Acquired Cardiac Domain Chair, and Professor Mario Gaudino as the new Editor-in-Chief of the EJCTS.
Navigating the MAZE – the other side
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Patrick Myers – Secretary General (re-elected)
Lorenzo Galletti Vice President
Gloria Färber – Acquired Cardiac Domain Chair
Mario Gaudino Editor-in-Chief
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