Clinical Science Meet the Editor-In-Chief: Rhian M. Touyz

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AT THE INTERFACE OF CLINICAL RESEARCH & DISCOVERY SCIENCE Clinical Science Meet the Editor-in-Chief: Rhian M. Touyz Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/1/73/6273/bio036010073.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021

Professor Rhian Touyz is the Editor- I have to acknowledge and thank in-Chief of Clinical Science. She is the the past Editor-in-Chief, Professor British Heart Foundation (BHF) Chair Clinton Webb, and his editorial team, in Cardiovascular Medicine, focusing who laid the path for the growth in the on research related to molecular, cellular Impact Factor. Not only is the Journal and vascular mechanisms of experimental receiving more submissions, but the and clinical hypertension. She is the quality of papers submitted continues Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular to increase. The Journal provides an and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow ideal medium in which to publish Cardiovascular Research Centre, translational research, a field that is University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. becoming increasingly more popular. Rhian received her BSc (Hons) Clinical Science attracts papers from (1980), MBBCh (1984), MSc (1986) and PhD (1992) many disciplines, since it covers a broad spectrum of from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, biomedical specialities, including the cardiovascular South Africa. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship system, cerebrovascular system, gastrointestinal tract (1992–1996) at the Clinical Research Institute of and liver, genetics and functional genomics, infection Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. and immunity, inflammation and oncology, metabolism, Rhian co-chaired the Recommendations Task Force endocrinology and nutrition, nephrology and of the Canadian Hypertension Education Program circulation, respiratory system and vascular biology. (CHEP), responsible for annual clinical hypertension The Journal publishes topics of current interest and is guidelines, she is a past President of the Canadian especially proud of the ‘thematic-based issues’, which Hypertension Society and the Past Chair of the Council highlight research at the forefront in specific areas. for High Blood Pressure Research of the American These elements, together with the fact that we publish Heart Association. She is the incoming President of accelerated publications, review articles, hypotheses the International Society of Hypertension, and is the and invited commentaries, as well as the creation of new Deputy Editor of Hypertension and an Associate Editor initiatives such as the recently launched Image Library, of Pharmacological Reviews. all contribute to increased citations and a growing Her areas of study include clinical and experimental Impact Factor. hypertension, signal transduction, oxidative stress, ion transport, cell biology, vascular biology, adipose tissue What attracted you to the role of Editor-in-Chief? Are biology and diabetes. She has a particular interest in there particular things that the Journal does well that translational research. Rhian’s laboratory is trainee- make the role satisfying? oriented with an emphasis on educating the next As a clinician-scientist with a particular interest generation of outstanding cardiovascular scientists. in translating discovery science into medical practice and meaningful health outcomes, I could not think The last few years have been very successful for Clinical of a better home than Clinical Science for my research Science, culminating in the Journal’s highest ever findings. The mission of the Journal, which is to publish Impact Factor of 4.859 when the new JCR was released papers at the interface of clinical research and discovery in June last year; what do you think the basis for this science, at the pre-clinical and clinical levels addressing success has been? the biology of human health and disease, is perfectly

aligned to my research interests and priorities. In fact, oxidative stress and inflammation. Topics that continue to one of my very first papers was published in the Journal be of interest include the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone and, since then, I have published regularly in Clinical system, vascular (patho)biology, stem cell biology, Impact Science. I was very humbled when invited to consider diabetes, asthma, liver disease and cardiovascular disease. the position of Editor-in-Chief and, because of the ethos Factor Up and mission of the Journal, I was delighted to accept. I How do you see the Journal developing in the future? * am particularly proud of the fact that the Journal is one I see the Journal on a trajectory of growth and 4.859 of very few that truly focuses on the interface between development. We will continue to publish outstanding fundamental science and clinical medicine. Moreover, original research that focuses on understanding AT THE INTERFACE OF CLINICAL RESEARCH & DISCOVERY SCIENCE the fact that the Journal attracts papers from a broad mechanisms of human health and disease and that has a range of biomedical topics means that the expertise and major impact. We will encourage the latest technologies, knowledge across the Editorial Board is wide and varied. methodologies and novel therapies to be highlighted, Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/1/73/6273/bio036010073.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 Working with such experts has provided me with deeper so that our readership is kept at the forefront. New insights and understandings in the global context of initiatives, such as a ‘library of images’ will continue biomedical science and has allowed me to be properly to be developed to provide readers with slide sets of informed at the highest scientific levels. I believe that published figures and images. In addition, strategies Why publish in Clinical Science? Clinical Science does a particularly good job at providing for open dialogue and sharing of knowledge between a truly balanced portfolio of research topics. My role editors, readers and authors, in real time, using social as Editor-in-Chief has been most rewarding. Not only media will become a major approach to communicating does one have the privilege of being among the first to our science. Clinical Science has a strong track record  Top Quartile Journal in the read the new breakthroughs, but one can have an impact of providing a solid foundation for the Journal to and influence on the direction of science through become a premier medium in which to publish the best ISI Medicine (Research & papers selected for publication. As Editor-in-Chief, I am translational research. Experimental) category fortunate enough to work with an outstanding team in the Editorial Office. The professionalism and support Looking back on your own career, what have been your by James Mockridge, the Journal’s Executive Editor, has main influences? Are there any particular pieces of made my role seamless and most satisfying. good advice that you’ve been given?  Fast decision Factors that have influenced my career include an Despite its title, Clinical Science does not publish case outstanding training in medicine and science, wonderful reports or simple association studies. Could you give mentors throughout my career, unique experiences to an overview of the type of papers the Journal publishes? work alongside excellent scientists, opportunities to  Fast publication Clinical Science prides itself in publishing papers at work in research-intensive institutions with cutting- the boundary between discovery science and clinical edge science and funding through granting agencies that research. The focus is on understanding fundamental has enabled me to pursue my research. I have been so mechanisms of human health and disease. By advancing fortunate to have as part of my team the best-of-the-best knowledge at the mechanistic level, I believe we will students and post-doctoral fellows and an expansive  Open Access be able to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic network of international colleagues and collaborators. approaches to improve human health and prevent Through such interactions, my research has been option available disease. As such, our Journal is not appropriate for case enriched and my career has thrived. Some good advice via Opt2Pay reports, descriptive or associative studies. to pass on includes: 1. Research is a passion, not a career. A broad spectrum of research into human health 2. Advancing knowledge requires team effort, so it’s and disease is covered by the Journal: what are the important to be collaborative, inclusive and open.  No submission or emerging topics that you think are particularly exciting 3. When research opportunities arise, grab them and for translational research? make the most of them. page charges Emerging topics of particular interest include 4. Choose your mentors carefully and wisely and if microRNAs, novel biomarkers of disease, the role of the you are lucky enough you should have a mentor(s) Submit online at: www.clinsci.org immune system in non-immune diseases, adipose biology, throughout your career. ■

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