Asia Pacific Allergy: Asia Pacific and beyond

As the Editor-in-Chief of Asia Pacific Allergy, the official journal of the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI), I deeply appreciate all the contributors, authors, reviewers, readers, the editorial board members of Asia Pacific Allergy, the board members of APAAACI, and partners. It has been my great honor and pleasure to serve as the managing editor (2010–2016, as one of the founding editors with professor Sang-Il Lee), and the Editor-in-Chief (2016–2022, after professors Sang-Il Lee, and Connie H. Katelaris) for Asia Pacific Allergy [1].

As a founding editor, I could have the opportunity to make decisions on the every aspect of Asia Pacific Allergy including the journal cover design, fonts, author guidelines, and the journal style. It was a great experience, journey, and adventure to launch an international journal from nothing. It was a record that Asia Pacific Allergy had been indexed at PubMed/PubMed Central within 6 months from its launch. I cannot forget how much I was excited with my entire team on the day as we worked day and night [2].

As the Editor-in-Chief, I could contribute for Asia Pacific Allergy to be an online-only journal since 2018 [3]. I also contributed for Asia Pacific Allergy to be officially indexed at Scopus, and the Web of Science. In 2021, Asia Pacific Allergy has been indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index, an important milestone for the journal and a step forward to be indexed as a SCIE journal [4]. It was also great to publish special issues with the Workshop on Eosinophils in Allergy and Related Diseases (WEA) in 2000 and 2021 (the proceedings of WEA 2019 and WEA 2000). However, it is unfortunate that there had been very delayed processes for some articles especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asia Pacific Allergy became a truly international journal which is highly cited in the field of allergy and clinical immunology. Asia Pacific Allergy is “Asia Pacific and beyond” as I wished as a founding member [5]. The manuscripts are submitted from all over the world. During many talks in the international congresses, I am so glad that I could find many slides using the data and figures from Asia Pacific Allergy. According to the Web of Science data, the impact factor is steadily increasing in terms of Journal Citation Indicator. You can find more information at https://mjl.clarivate.com/journal-profile.

As the Editor of Asia Pacific Allergy, it was my greatest pleasure to communicate with our fellow researchers, authors, reviewers, and the editorial board members. When my team and I received “thank you” messages and emails from readers, it was really touching and appreciated which sustained the energy and power of Asia Pacific Allergy. Thank you very much again for your great support. I cannot thank enough my great journal team, especially professor Choon Shil Lee who is my mentor on publication, Mr./professor Inkwon Hwang who beautifully designed Asia Pacific Allergy, Ms. Hye Sook Jang and all the staffs from XMLink, Co. Korea as the main publishing company that worked with me from the beginning, Mr. Hwan Tae Ahn who worked day and night with me as the manuscript editor, M2 Publishing Inc. Korea for e-submission system, the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors that supported me and Asia Pacific Allergy as a special member, my clinical fellows, friends and colleagues from Seoul National University and the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, my friends and colleagues from all over the world who supported Asia Pacific Allergy, the editorial board members of Asia Pacific Allergy. and the board member of APAAACI who greatly supported and believed me.

In this issue, readers will find an excellent review article on the mechanisms and biomarkers of successful allergen-specific immunotherapy [6]. Readers will also find nice original articles such as a 5-year longitudinal study on the Melbourne epidemic thunderstorm asthma event 2016 [7], natural history and clinical course of patients with dermographism in a tropical country [8], how physicians approach hereditary angioedema [9], a study on anaphylaxis after Coronavac vaccination in healthcare workers [10], the level of knowledge among healthcare professionals regarding anaphylaxis [11], identification of fungi causing humidifier lung [12], and the measures for food allergy emergency in nurseries [13]. Reader will be interested in the case reports such as a clindamycin graded challenge in an AIDS patient [14], a case of hypereosinophilic syndrome with gastrointestinal involvement showing tissue eosinophil cytolysis [15], and severe chronic cough relating to post-COVID-19 interstitial lung disease [16].

Once again, I would like thank you very much for your strong support. My entire journal team and I wish Asia Pacific Allergy a brilliant future with the new Editor-in-Chief: Asia Pacific, and beyond.