Journals
Voice of the Editor
Professor Kim E. Barrett, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Physiology
“I have a great sense of anticipation for the upcoming International Union of Physiological Sciences meeting that will be held in Frankfurt in September. Not only will this be a worldwide gathering of physiologists in general, but we will take the opportunity to hold a live Editorial Board meeting where we will develop new initiatives to strengthen the Journal further.”
Professor Kim E. Barrett
I’m happy once again to add my ‘Voice of the Editor’ to Physiology News. At the time of writing this column, we hosted a Zoom meeting of the Senior Editorial Team of The Journal of Physiology, across time zones ranging from California (10 am on Thursday) to Auckland, New Zealand (5 am on Friday) – not only illustrating the international reach of The Journal, but also the hardiness of our intrepid Senior Editors.
We are certainly grateful for the technological advances, bolstered and accelerated during the pandemic, that allow for (almost) synchronous communication and effective interchange of ideas. It’s especially important for JP because we truly are an international venue for the sharing of new physiological knowledge. Even though we are headquartered and published in the UK, the vast majority of our submissions and published papers come from elsewhere, and illustrate the vitality of the discipline across virtually all continents.
Similarly, therefore, it’s critical that our authors and readers see themselves reflected, as far as possible, by the demographics of our Editorial Board. For example, we have seen a substantial rise in both the number and quality of submissions from China in recent years, and I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jing-Ning Zhu, from Nanjing University, will be moving from his current role as Reviewing Editor to that of Senior Editor, effective 1 July 2025. We are also adding three new Reviewing Editors from China whom we hope will further encourage their colleagues to submit their best work to us.
Nevertheless, as the summer is upon us in the northern hemisphere, our thoughts turn naturally to actual travel that enriches, refreshes and gives us the opportunity to interact with colleagues far and wide. I’m pleased to have the opportunity next month to participate in the meeting of the Brazilian Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology in Campinas, where I can promote JP to our colleagues both in Brazil and beyond.
That will be followed by a visit to Santiago, Chile, where I will join colleagues from the American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology in a workshop designed to help early career researchers write and review scientific manuscripts. I am well aware that physiology is an especially vibrant area of study in the counties of Central and South America, so I am looking forward to learning about some great science and also benefitting from the contacts of our Regional Editor, Luis Sobrevia, who has done a fantastic job in attracting submissions from the region.
And perhaps most importantly, I have a great sense of anticipation for the upcoming International Union of Physiological Sciences meeting that will be held in Frankfurt in September. Not only will this be a worldwide gathering of physiologists in general, but we will take the opportunity to hold a live Editorial Board meeting where we will develop new initiatives to strengthen the Journal further.
While Zoom meetings keep us in touch throughout the year, there is no substitute for an in-person meeting to spark creativity and camaraderie. If you have ideas about how The Journal can serve you better, please reach out over the summer – my electronic door is always ajar (kbarrett@health.ucdavis.edu). And I hope all of us will continue to support the international mobility of both trainees and scientists, which is so vital for biomedical science to advance but so threatened at the present time, particularly in my adopted country.
See you in a convention centre (or an airport) somewhere soon, and I trust that your summer (or winter) travels will enrich you.
