Stem Cells, Vol. 14, No. 1, i,
January 1996
© 1996 AlphaMed Press
Martin J. Murphy, Jr.
Editor-in-Chief
Fifteen years ago when Founding Editors Donald Metcalf, Fumimaro Takaku, the late Laszlo G. Lajtha and I started the journal STEM CELLS, the purview of stem cells was confined to the laboratory bench, far from clinical deployment. Now, fifteen years later, hematopoietic stem cells are being purified and transplanted, manipulated and genetically engineered—in short, a new horizon of opportunities in clinical medicine has emerged. Accordingly, our Editorial Board is issuing a Call for Papers which address clinical applications of stem cells, their separation, gene transplantation and other topics within this broad range. Our Editorial Board has considerable expertise in these clinical arenas and these clinical papers will receive the same speedy review and publication which has long distinguished the Journal.
Continuing a five-year trend, we increased the Journal's pagination with a total of 1,341 pages published in 1995. This is a 33% increase above 1994. This increase in the size of the Journal was matched by further increases in the quality of accepted manuscripts. Our rapid editorial decision-to-publication interval is a mean of but 98 days. Our gratitude goes to our Editorial Board for the excellence and speed of their reviews (i.e., two to three weeks). The Concise Reviews continue to be the keystone in the archwork of the Journal and are being internationally heralded for their timeliness and clarity. Three Supplements published in 1995 added luster to STEM CELLS's general theme, with the following titles: Stem Cell Grafting: From Hematological Rescue to Somatic Gene Therapy; Current Concepts of Multiple Myeloma: From Biology to Therapy; and Assessment of Radiation Effects by Molecular and Cellular Approaches.
STEM CELLS continues to thrive, in large measure, due to the commitment and conscientiousness of our excellent Editorial Board, whose guidance and assistance help to ensure our enviable standing in the scientific community. We especially acknowledge our gratitude to the retiring Board members: Dr. Jerome E. Groopman; Dr. Bob Löwenberg (who moves to the Editorial Board of The Oncologist, AlphaMed Press's new journal for the practicing oncologist and hematologist); Dr. Alex Nakeff (who also served a term as an Associate Editor); Dr. Eero O. Niskanen; Dr. Makio Ogawa and Dr. Friedrich R. Seiler. They have served with distinction. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hal E. Broxmeyer as Associate Editor for North America and our new Editorial Board members: Dr. David J. Cosman, Dr. Melvin H. Freedman, Dr. Pamela Hunt, Dr. Jane L. Liesveld and Dr. Dan L. Longo. Throughout this year, the cover of STEM CELLS will be graced by the beautiful photographic art of J.D. Marston. We are grateful to Mr. Marston for sharing his widely acclaimed talents with our readership. You may read more about him above on the Mission and Focus page.
It is an honor and a privilege to publish in this expanded issue the Proceedings from The Chabner Symposium, which was held at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on April 7, 1995. This gathering honored Dr. Bruce A. Chabner's leadership and legacy in the field of clinical cancer research, drug discovery and development during his more than quarter century at the NCI. Many of Dr. Chabner's former students and one mentor (Dr. Joseph Bertino), were joined by his associates and friends from around the world to pay tribute as he retired from the NCI and took up his new responsibilities as Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Clinical Director of Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. We are grateful to the authors who prepared their manuscripts and included amongst the science their notes of gratitude and affection for Dr. Chabner. We are appreciative to Kirin (Dr. Akihiro Shimosaka) and Bristol-Myers Squibb, whose unrestricted educational grants helped support this special tribute. And we are most thankful to Davi Chabner who personalized this salute to her husband with a marvelous collection of photographs and legends. They will be treasured by his friends and colleagues, and to those not yet blessed by meeting Dr. Chabner, these pictures will make it clear why he is not only admired and respected, but loved.
