I am grateful and excited to be the next Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE). CMBE began in 2008, tasked with the mission of providing a place for “in-depth multidisciplinary studies at the interface of life sciences, medicine, and engineering” [1]. In the inaugural issue, co-editors David Odde and Ed Guo announced the journal as a nexus for connecting biological knowledge, physical tools of observation and quantitation, and computational frameworks capable of processing large data sets and modeling complex systems, all for the purpose of accelerating advancements in improving human health [2].
Michael King assumed the role of EIC in 2013 [3]. During his long and productive tenure, Mike implemented many important developments that have significantly raised the journal’s profile and put it on an upward trajectory, including getting it listed on PubMed, diversifying the editorial board, and promoting individual journal articles on social media. Perhaps, his most important contribution was establishing the annual Young Innovators special issue and its accompanying sessions at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Fall Meeting [4]. Beginning in 2014, this special issue has turned a spotlight on the “best and brightest” young talents in the area of cellular and molecular bioengineering. The Young Innovators have, in turn, risen as leaders in their respective research areas and within BMES and other professional societies.
I first interacted with CMBE as a Guest Editor (along with Roger Kamm and Cheng Dong) on a special issue focused on international work in cell mechanics and mechanobiology presented at the 7th World Congress of Biomechanics [5]. In 2018, I was appointed an Associate Editor, a role I am stepping out of as I assume the mantle of EIC. My task now is to continue the upward trajectory of the journal by: (1) attracting and publishing impactful, high-quality articles from BMES members and the scientific community at large; (2) heightening the visibility of this work and its authors through social media and other means; (3) supporting a diverse and inclusive board of engaged Associate Editors; and (4) providing community for the BMES membership and the larger community of scholars.
Some of the initiatives I plan on implementing are as follows. In addition to continuing the Young Innovators special issue and BMES sessions, I will add special issues on new research topics that fall within the journal’s core mission, such as bioinformatics/multi-omics, systems biology, artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, in vitro engineered systems, and gene-editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR). These areas are ripe for special issues and reviews so that our community can gain a foothold in these emerging areas. I will expand the use of social media platforms to announce each new article we publish, promote our authors, and solicit new submissions to increase awareness of the journal. I also will implement a Journal Spotlight that showcases an article from each issue with a concise summary and additional commentary. Finally, as EIC, I want to hear what your needs and desires for the journal are so that I can work to continuously improve how the journal operates and impacts the field. I pledge to serve as a nexus for connecting our community, engaging a broad cross-section of stakeholders, and building a shared vision that can drive this community forward. I look forward to serving you all.
Ed Sander
Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering
Univeristy of Iowa
email: edward-sander@uiowa.edu
Incoming Editor-in-Chief
Data availability
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Footnotes
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References
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Data Availability Statement
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