Meet Cardiovascular Diabetology's Associate Editor of the Year - Dr. Dídac Mauricio
Published in General & Internal Medicine
This role has helped me become a better researcher, learn from others, and gain a much broader perspective on what scientific publishing really means as a standard of our professional work.
Congratulations on winning this year’s Cardiovascular Diabetology Associate Editor Award! What were your first thoughts when you learned that you won?
Receiving this award is an important recognition of my job as editor. As an Associate Editor, I always aim to apply the same standards that I value as an author when submitting our group’s research for publication. As an author, you expect rigor, efficiency in the editorial process, and the feeling that the editorial team is truly there to help you improve and communicate your work. This award encourages me to keep working with this same commitment and perspective.
Please do introduce yourself:
I am a clinical researcher focused on diabetes complications for the past 20 years, with a particular interest in cardiovascular disease in diabetes. Our research group also works on other diabetes-related complications such as MASLD, diabetic foot and microvascular disease, as well as on different epidemiological aspects of diabetes. I am a clinical endocrinologist at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona and currently serve as the Scientific Director of CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III — a national research network of excellence in diabetes in Spain. I am also Professor of Endocrinology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia.
Why did you choose this research area?
Often, the areas of research we dedicate ourselves to are shaped by professional circumstances, opportunities, and the influence of key people who act as true mentors during decisive moments of our careers. In my case, I had always worked in diabetes, but nearly twenty years ago, in a previous institution, I found the opportunity and the intellectual environment that opened the door for me to explore the field of diabetes complications, especially cardiovascular disease in diabetes. That experience and the help of my peers were crucial in defining my research path and continue to inspire my work today.
What is your vision — what would you like to achieve with your research?
I have always believed that the highest aspiration for a clinical researcher is to see that the knowledge we may generate, whether small or significant, can ultimately translate into changes in daily clinical practice. The true impact of research lies in improving the decisions we make on the persons we serve. My goal is to contribute, even modestly, to advancing the understanding and management of diabetes and its complications so that patients can benefit from a more effective, and evidence-based care.
How does a typical working day look like for you?
My typical working day varies depending on the day of the week and whether I have other scientific commitments. My time is divided among different responsibilities. On the clinical side, I see patients in the outpatient clinic, take part in the general clinical sessions of our department, and participate in our weekly diabetic foot committee.
On the management side, I attend meetings with colleagues and deal with the daily issues that arise in the department.
In addition, during several weeks every year, I have teaching duties with medical students. Additionally, I have weekly meetings with our research team, and I also supervise PhD students.
Finally, a significant part of my time is devoted to reading and writing scientific documents, i.e. papers, projects, research protocols and so on. Every week is a mix of clinical work, research, teaching, and management, which makes the job both demanding and deeply rewarding.
You have been working as Associate Editor for Cardiovascular Diabetology since 2021. What do you like about your work as Associate Editor for the journal?
Working as an Associate Editor for Cardiovascular Diabetology is, above all, a privilege. It is one of the most prestigious journals in the field; what more could I ask for! It is truly the best journal I have had the opportunity to collaborate with.
This role has helped me become a better researcher, learn from others, and gain a much broader perspective on what scientific publishing really means as a standard of our professional work. I have also learned a great deal from my own mistakes — a fundamental part of both research and editorial work, and an essential source of growth and improvement.
What has been your most rewarding or challenging experience as an Associate Editor?
I would say that the most challenging experiences, but also the ones that help you grow, are those in which authors disagree with your final editorial decision. No one likes to receive bad news, and although it doesn’t happen often, a critical or assertive reaction from authors is sometimes necessary and even constructive. After all, as editors, we are not infallible. I have learned a lot from these situations, and I am especially grateful to Professor Enrique Fisman (the Editor-in-Chief), from whom I have learned how to handle them with fairness, empathy, and professionalism.
Has the journal work had any impact on your research or views?
The experience as an editor was not entirely new to me, as I had previously led the scientific journal of scientific societies in Spain. However, working as an editor for such a high-impact and visible journal in the field of diabetes has been, as I said previously, both highly rewarding and demanding. It is an experience I would strongly recommend to any colleague as it gives you a deeper understanding of the scientific process and helps you grow as a scientist. As we often say, research is fun, and that certainly includes editorial work.
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Cardiovascular Diabetology
This journal considers manuscripts on all aspects of the diabetes/cardiovascular interrelationship and the metabolic syndrome; this includes clinical, genetic, experimental, pharmacological, epidemiological and molecular biology research.
Related Collections
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Incretin-Based Therapies in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: Current Evidence and the Evolving Cardiometabolic Landscape
Cardiovascular Diabetology features a Collection on "Incretin-Based Therapies in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: Current Evidence and the Evolving Cardiometabolic Landscape". This is a companion Collection with Cardiovascular Diabetology - Endocrinology Reports with the title "Pleiotropic Actions of Incretin-Based Therapies".
Building upon the growing recognition of cardiometabolic organ protection as a central therapeutic goal, incretin-based therapies have reshaped the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity, extending their clinical relevance far beyond glycemic control. Large-scale cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) have shown that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) significantly reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), redefining cardiometabolic risk management and influencing contemporary therapeutic strategies. Targeting the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) pathways, these agents enhance glucose-dependent insulin secretion, promote weight reduction, and exert multi-organ effects. Growing evidence supports their impact on vascular function, myocardial metabolism, renal protection, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and systemic inflammation.
Three principal pharmacological approaches currently characterize incretin-based therapy:
- GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), mostly injectable medications with proven improved cardiovascular outcomes and weight-reduction.
- Dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists, newer solely injectable medications designed to enhance glycemic control and weight-reduction efficacy.
- DPP-4 inhibitors (also known as gliptins), oral medications which modestly increase endogenous incretin levels and have no impact on cardiovascular outcomes or body weight.
Beyond glucose lowering, incretin-based therapies are increasingly positioned within the broader cardiometabolic framework, with emerging data supporting cardiovascular and renal protection, as well as effects on endothelial function, atherosclerosis, heart failure phenotypes, and chronic kidney disease progression.
Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Classic antidiabetic, anti-obesity and cardioprotective effects
- Cardiovascular outcomes and mechanistic correlates
- Endothelial and vascular biology
- Myocardial metabolism and heart failure subtypes
- Novel renal and hepatoprotective actions
- Optimization and individualized use of existing GLP-1 receptor agonists
- Development of novel GLP-1 receptor agonists and multi-agonist (dual and triple) strategies
- Emerging extra-metabolic actions, including anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects
- Combination therapies, including co-formulations with insulin or SGLT2 inhibitors
- Innovative delivery systems, including non-injectable and implantable approaches
- Real-world comparative effectiveness, long-term safety, adherence and treatment durability
This Collection welcomes original research, translational studies, and comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses that provide novel mechanistic insight or clinically relevant evidence to advance understanding of the expanding role of incretin-based therapies in cardiometabolic medicine.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being.
All submissions in this Collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the journal editorial board. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com.
Publishing Model: Open Access
Deadline: Dec 13, 2026
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome: Risk Stratification, Prognostic Implications and Therapeutic Innovation
Cardiovascular Diabetology features a Collection on "Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome: Risk Stratification, Prognostic Implications and Therapeutic Innovation". This is a companion Collection with Cardiovascular Diabetology - Endocrinology Reports with the title "Endocrine Drivers and Clinical Implications of the Cardiovascular–Kidney–Metabolic Syndrome" and with BMC Cardiovascular Disorders with the title "Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome: diagnosis and management of a systemic disorder".
The cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic (CKM) syndrome describes the multidirectional interactions linking excess adiposity, metabolic dysfunction — particularly insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes — chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular involvement. In affected individuals, metabolic abnormalities frequently coexist with subclinical or overt cardiovascular disease.
Rather than representing a simple clustering of comorbidities, CKM represents a pathophysiological continuum in which metabolic dysregulation drives progressive cardiovascular and renal injury through inflammation, oxidative stress, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activation, lipotoxicity, and endothelial dysfunction, ultimately promoting adverse cardiac remodeling, heart failure, and cardiorenal syndrome.
The American Heart Association has proposed a staged framework ranging from individuals without metabolic risk (stage 0) to isolated adiposity (stage 1), metabolic or kidney disease without overt cardiovascular involvement (stage 2), subclinical cardiovascular disease (stage 3), and symptomatic cardiovascular disease (stage 4). This framework aims to facilitate earlier risk identification and integrated cardiovascular prevention across the CKM spectrum.
Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Early detection of multiorgan abnormalities across CKM stages
- Diagnostic laboratory and imaging biomarkers
- Digital health tools for remote monitoring of blood pressure, weight, glycemia, and kidney function
- Application of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) for risk prediction and treatment selection
- Geographical epidemiology of CKM syndrome
- Social determinants contributing to CKM development and progression
- Life-course determinants, including childhood obesity and gestational diabetes
- Multi-target non-pharmacological interventions
- Established pharmacological therapies (e.g., SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists)
- Emerging therapies, including RNA-based approaches, incretin combinations, and anti-inflammatory strategies
This Collection invites original research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that contribute to improved risk stratification, prognostic assessment, and therapeutic innovation within the integrated CKM framework.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being.
All submissions in this Collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the journal editorial board. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com.
Publishing Model: Open Access
Deadline: Nov 23, 2026
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