Dr Brij Patel is clinical lead for adult critical care and director of ECMO services at the Royal Brompton hospital. He is also a clinical senior lecturer in cardiothoracic critical care at Imperial College London where he leads a basic and translational research programme investigating the clinical progression and pathobiology of severe cardiac and respiratory failure in patients supported on extracorporeal devices. He led the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals’ COVID-19 research committee and was involved nationally and internationally during the pandemic. He is also a mentor to medical, nursing, and AHP staff who wish to pursue research careers. Clinically, he is committed to delivering novel innovations to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from critical illness. He has significant expertise in developing clinical services for cardiothoracic critical care and extracorporeal life support and, supporting organisations develop novel pathways and internationally leading ECMO services through mentoring and fostering collaboration.