The RISK pathway and beyond

Research on cardioprotection has attracted considerable attention during the past 30 years following the discovery of ischemic preconditioning with great advances being made in the field, particularly in the description of the molecular signalling behind this cardioprotective intervention. In a time when basic research is struggling to translate its findings into therapies in the clinical setting, this viewpoint has the intention of presenting to clinical and basic scientists how the reperfusion injury salvage kinase pathway has been described and dissected, as well as highlighting its relevance in cardioprotection.