The impact of translational orthopaedic research: Journal of Orthopaedic Translation indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded

We are proud to announce that the Journal of Orthopaedic Translation (JOT) has been indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded and will receive its first impact factor in June 2018.

When JOT was launched in 2013, we sought to be the pioneer in orthopaedics that focused on building the three pillars of translational medicine: basic science, clinical applications and community health. This continues to be the unique characteristic of JOT, bringing together clinicians, scientists, engineers, policymakers and related professionals to promote innovative research that benefits patients with evidence-based treatments for the betterment of mankind as a whole. Since our inception, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of translational medicine in many disciplines and, as such, we have been able to attract the interest of pharmaceutical industries, technology developers, venture capitalists and financiers to join us in this innovative endeavour. As we enter the era of “Three-P Medicine”: personalised, precision and popularised medicine, translational medicine will play a key role in its success. JOT is determined to uphold this mission and sustain the momentum by providing an academic platform for all stakeholders to pursue the ultimate goal of this era.

We continue to rely heavily on our authors, readers and reviewers, who not only take a keen interest in translational medicine but also seek to expand and improve the field of orthopaedics. Without these dedicated individuals, we would not have been able to publish quality articles that would help to improve the journal, its reputation and its notability. We are honoured to have been given a platform at many events over the years to promote the journal and enhance its image. We have also been indexed in numerous databases (Directory of Open Access Journals, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus) to improve the ability for our articles to be discovered, read and referenced. This improved prominence has provided us with the opportunity to improve the visibility of the work of our authors who have contributed to the journal over the years.

Our success has also been predicated on the unwavering support from the Chinese Speaking Orthopaedic Society (CSOS) and the International Chinese Musculoskeletal Research Society (ICMRS), as well as promotion by the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies (ICORS). These societies and its members have not only supported the missions of JOT by contributing manuscripts of high-quality original research, peer-reviews and perspectives for publication but also by organising educational workshops and facilitating multidisciplinary collaborations.

JOT's inclusion in Science Citation Index Expanded and the receipt of an impact factor will not only further improve the visibility of the journal and its articles in the field of orthopaedics but also solidify the impact of the published work as well. However, this achievement also helps to improve our ability to help patients around the world, with evidence-based treatments and care, to help improve health and the community.

This achievement is only the beginning, and we are excited to enhance this platform to accelerate innovations towards clinical applications and a healthy society.