Effective December 2003, Sam Enna completed his term as Editor of JPET. The Society has been fortunate to have a strong and devoted Editor and an excellent Managing Editor in Lynn LeCount. These individuals, the Assistant Editor, and the staff accepted the challenge of bringing JPET's peer review process online and made it a huge success for the authors, reviewers, Associate Editors, and the Society. Examples of the efficiencies gained using the online system are a reduction in the average number of days from manuscript receipt until initial author contact (44 to 26 days) and from manuscript receipt until acceptance (95 to 62 days). In addition, the online system has decreased the average time from manuscript receipt to public domain appearance, through Fast Forward, from 196 to 76 days. Two other important improvements over the past several years are the addition of Perspectives in Pharmacology and an increase in the journal impact factor to 3.99 in 2002. Although it is a privilege to serve as the next editor, it will be difficult to follow a group so dedicated and successful.
A snapshot of JPET reveals its vitality in terms of manuscripts submitted (approximately 1250/year) and articles published (approximately 590/year), resulting in an acceptance rate of 47%. In addition, approximately 20 Perspectives in Pharmacology articles are published each year. Finally, the number of journal articles (www.jpet.org) downloaded has increased from approximately 20,000/month in September of 2000 to 60,000/month in September of 2003. This level of JPET usage by our constituents is truly remarkable.
In the coming year, readers will notice a number of changes in JPET. My first initiative will be to increase the submissions of manuscripts that use the latest technology in contemporary pharmacology and/or that may have been underrepresented in the past. These include manuscripts in cancer pharmacology, chemical biology/medicinal chemistry, immunopharmacology, proteomics, and toxicology. New and returning Associate Editors with expertise in these areas have been identified and charged with moving this initiative forward. This initiative does not diminish the importance of the other topics that have made JPET strong. These new individuals and the remaining Associate Editors will work closely with me in promoting excellence, monitoring journal policies and operations, in preserving its traditions and philosophy, and in undertaking further initiatives.
The Associate Editors and I fully appreciate our responsibility to our authors and readers. By serving our constituencies, we will fulfill our obligation to the Society and the discipline. Please feel free to communicate directly with me (schnell{at}musc.edu) or Jill Filler (jfiller{at}aspet.org), the Managing Editor, if you have any suggestions or comments about the journal. We look forward to hearing from you and to serving you in the coming years.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics