Tempus fugit

Howard A. Rockman

J Clin Invest. 2013;123(3):935-936. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI69370.

Editorial

As I draft this editorial, it is almost a year into our stewardship as editors of theJ CI. Previous Journal Editors have told me that the evaluation of manuscripts submitted across a broad range of topics and specialties was a highlight for their time as JCI Editor. I’ve found this to be no less true in my case, and I can speak confidently that the entire Editorial Board feels the same enjoyment. As I reflect upon the past year, I’m struck by feelings that range from immense privilege, to enormous responsibility, to, at times, near apoplectic bewilderment.

Find the latest version: https://jci.me/69370/pdf Editorial Tempus fugit

As I draft this editorial, it is almost a year into our stewardship as editors integrity for that entire body of work? To of the JCI. Previous Journal Editors have told me that the evaluation of be honest, I’m not sure, but I do know manuscripts submitted across a broad range of topics and specialties was it must happen. We at the JCI believe it a highlight for their time as JCI Editor. I’ve found this to be no less true in is the senior/corresponding author’s my case, and I can speak confidently that the entire Editorial Board feels responsibility to verify the integrity of all the same enjoyment. As I reflect upon the past year, I’m struck by feelings data in a manuscript. I encourage all cor- that range from immense privilege, to enormous responsibility, to, at times, responding authors to rigorously review near apoplectic bewilderment. all the primary data, whether generated in their own lab or as part of an exter- Let me begin with privilege. We on the our decision. The journal has a long his- nal collaboration. I am reminded of the Editorial Board are in a unique position tory of publishing work that is rigorously weekly data meetings that I had when I to be reading and deciding whether to performed and also demonstrates new was a trainee with one of my great men- publish cutting-edge scientific discovery insights into the mechanism of disease. tors, John Ross Jr. I would perform physi- across the entire spectrum of biomedi- This has made the JCI a highly selective ological experiments recording numer- cine. It’s an amazing experience, and one venue, which means that the journal ous hemodynamic parameters on chart that encompasses a feeling that you are at delivers many more rejections than accep- recorder paper and simultaneously elec- the heart of the scientific spirit. Dr. Rob- tances. We undoubtedly have rejected tronically. At our regular data meetings, ert J. Lefkowitz spoke about the scientific papers that ultimately are shown to be Ross would sit down with us for hours spirit during his presidential address to important discoveries. The members of to review every hemodynamic tracing for the American Society for Clinical Inves- the Editorial Board are working scientists every condition for every experiment. Not tigation in April 1988 (1). He made the and clinicians, and we are well acquainted once would he look at the summary data point that “the true spirit of science con- with receiving journal decisions that can that I had labored on for countless hours cerns an attitude or approach to scientific generate a number of emotions: elation to analyze. Finally, when he did ask to see investigations that inspires, pervades, and upon acceptance, discouragement and the summary data, he not infrequently permeates the entire enterprise.” And, in even outrage upon rejection. But let me would catch a calculation error. By look- his address, he went on to focus on three assure you, the entire Editorial Board ing at every single data point, he could elements of this scientific spirit: enthu- respects the passionate spirit of authors integrate all the data and know whether siasm, creativity, and integrity. I selected and believes in the importance of provid- an error was made. To this day, I practice the JCI board members not only for their ing timely and thoughtful decisions. this in my laboratory, and I encourage all knowledge in a scientific area, but also Sadly, the one feeling that I did not sus- authors to spend the time to rigorously for their passion for science and new dis- pect would occupy so much of my time review all the primary data whether gen- covery. In essence, these individuals truly is bewilderment. By this, I am referring erated in their lab or not. encompassed the scientific spirit. What I to my state when we receive a manu- During the past year, we have also did not realize at the time was how much script with manipulated or fraudulent worked hard on a number of new initia- we on the Editorial Board have benefited data. Much has been written about sci- tives that I announced at the beginning from the gifts that you give to us each day: entific malfeasance, both in this journal of my tenure: Our video series Conversa- the gift of sharing your most treasured and elsewhere. However, the extent of tions with Giants in Medicine started in discoveries and creativity. data manipulation took me by surprise. April 2012 with Harold Varmus (2) and Along with this privilege of learning Lefkowitz points out that “ . . . it is integ- Robert Lefkowitz, Mike Brown, and Joe about the wonderful discoveries you have rity that provides the bricks that keep the Goldstein (3). We now have a collection made comes responsibility. Over the past [scientific] fire from burning out of con- of 11 interviews, including this month’s year, the Editorial Board has received trol and focuses the resultant energy in a conversation with Paul Greengard (4). All about 3,700 original submissions and productive manner” (1). I assumed that interviews are available at http://www.jci. over 800 revisions. While it is my firm as scientists, we are all on this relentless org/kiosk/cgm. In another video effort, belief that we do not have an obligation pursuit of the truth, and by our commit- Author’s Take, authors have the oppor- to publish everyone’s work, we do have ment to the scientific method, we will tunity to briefly present the work repre- a responsibility to be thoughtful, thor- do what is right. While I believe this to sented in their JCI articles. These videos ough, and show the utmost respect to be largely true, we live in a complex sci- are available at http://www.jci.org/kiosk/ authors who have chosen us to consider entific world. Many of the papers we see authors_take. We are publishing a series their work for publication. Given that are the result of collaborations between called The Attending Physician that dis- about 70% of the submitted manuscripts individuals from all over the world. We cusses current therapy, the knowledge are not sent out for review, it is inevitable share reagents, techniques, experiments, gap, and the advance demonstrated by a that not all authors will be happy with and ideas among ourselves that often research article published in the journal; lead to co-authorship as recognition of articles in the new Hindsight series probe Citation for this article: J Clin Invest. 2013;123(3):935–936. contribution. How, then, does the cor- the JCI archives for landmark publications doi:10.1172/JCI69370. responding author keep track of data that have changed a scientific field.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation http://www.jci.org Volume 123 Number 3 March 2013 935 editorial

In December 2012, I called for submis- by almost 2,500 unique reviewers. I would ward to continuing to fill the JCI with your sions in a new category, Clinical Medicine be remiss not to recognize the enormous exciting research. And, as always, I welcome (5). In this category, and true to our heri- effort contributed by this large and author- your feedback ([email protected]). tage, the Journal of Clinical Investigation­ will itative group of scientists. publish early-phase (phase I/II) human As we on the Editorial Board get together Howard A. Rockman, research that has the potential to change each week to discuss your work, we share in Editor in Chief the practice of medicine. We’ve already seen the scientific spirit to which we all aspire. a number of exciting submissions, and we It’s like we are back in school as medical 1. Lefkowitz RJ. The spirit of science. Presidential expect to publish our first article in this or graduate students learning about new address to the American Society for Clinical Invest­ igation, Washington, DC, 30 April 1988. J Clin category in the coming months. Alongside fields and challenging problems. We share Invest. 1988;82(2):375–378. this category, we’ll also be publishing Clini- in the commitment to publish the best sci- 2. Neill US. A conversation with Harold Varmus. J Clin cal Medicine Reviews, focusing on specific entific discoveries that will have impact in Invest. 2012;122(4):1134–1135. 3. Neill US, Rockman HA. A conversation with areas with broad relevance. the field of medicine. The deepest apprecia- Robert Lefkowitz, Joseph Goldstein, and Michael Peer review forms the backbone of edito- tion, however, must necessarily go to those Brown. J Clin Invest. 2012;122(5):1586–1587. rial discrimination at the JCI. Over 4,400 authors who entrust their work to us and 4. Neill US. A conversation with Paul Greengard. J Clin Invest. 2013;123(3):937–938. reviews were submitted from the start of who make the JCI the standout journal that 5. Rockman HA. Clinical medicine. J Clin Invest. my tenure, and these reviews were provided it is. I, and the rest of the board, look for- 2012;122(12):4303.

936 The Journal of Clinical Investigation http://www.jci.org Volume 123 Number 3 March 2013