Mervyn Singer is Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, London, UK. He was born, bred, trained and now works in London as an intensivist and a researcher spanning basic, translational and clinical topics. He co-chaired the ‘Sepsis-3’ definitions task force, is Editor-in-Chief of Intensive Care Medicine Experimental and Treasurer of the International Sepsis Forum. He previously developed an esophageal Doppler hemodynamic monitoring device, now used in 30 countries, and currently has one drug and three other devices in development, one shortly to enter clinical trials. His major research interests are sepsis and multi-organ failure, tissue oxygenation, and monitoring. He has published widely in a variety of decent journals and has authored/co-edited several textbooks including the Oxford Textbook of Critical Care (available in all good bookstores!). His favourite organelle is the mitochondrion.