Professor Thorsten Hanke is a distinguished cardiac surgeon with extensive experience in both clinical practice and academic medicine. Born on July 12, 1966, in Hamburg, Germany, he has dedicated his career to advancing the field of cardiac surgery through innovative techniques and comprehensive patient care. Currently, Prof. Hanke serves as the Chief Physician at the Asklepios Klinikum Harburg’s Clinic for Cardiac Surgery in Hamburg, a position he has held since January 2023. Prior to this role, he was the Senior Consultant and Deputy Chief Physician at the same institution, where he played a pivotal role in establishing an independent Clinic for Cardiac Surgery. His career also includes significant tenures at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, where he served as Managing Senior Consultant and Senior Consultant. His early career saw him as an Assistant Physician at both the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and the Municipal Hospital Fulda. Prof. Hanke’s academic journey is marked by numerous accolades. He was appointed as an Extraordinary Professor for Cardiac Surgery at the University of Lübeck in March 2017. He earned his Venia Legendi and completed his Habilitation in Cardiac Surgery at the same university in 2011. His medical education includes a Doctorate in Human Medicine from the University of Marburg and a degree in Human Medicine from the Free University of Berlin. A respected member of several professional societies, Prof. Hanke is affiliated with the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery (DGTHG), the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), the German Society for Cardiology (DGK), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). He has co-authored the 2024 Guidelines for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation and leads the Task Force on Arrhythmias for the EACTS. Prof. Hanke has been instrumental in developing and expanding various minimally invasive cardiac surgery programs, including the “360°” antero-axillary heart and aortic valve program, the ROSS operation program for young patients, and several endoscopic and catheter-based interventions. His work with the Da Vinci robot for standalone atrial fibrillation treatment and his leadership in national cardiac surgery outpatient services highlight his commitment to cutting-edge medical advancements. In addition to his clinical and academic roles, Prof. Hanke serves as a consultant for several international medical companies. He is also an expert reviewer for prestigious medical journals such as JAMA, BMJ, and the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.