The Journal of Physiology’s Virtual Journal Club

Amongst other actions taken to tackle spread of COVID-19, the closure of laboratories and cancellation/postponement of conferences has meant that there are currently fewer opportunities for physiologists to connect with others in the community. To tackle this issue, The Society has launched a series of initiatives to bring researchers together remotely. One of these initiatives is the launch of The Journal of Physiology’s Virtual Journal Club. 

Since August 2020, the Virtual Journal Club has been providing a platform for physiologists to meet twice monthly to discuss papers that have recently been published in The Journal of Physiology. The Virtual Journal Club is hosted in the form of Zoom webinars and is free for both members of The Society and non-members. Each meeting focuses on a different paper, which is shared with registrants to familiarise themselves with ahead of the meeting. During each meeting, the host usually gives a brief introduction to the paper, followed by a more in-depth examination by the paper’s author(s). The paper’s reviewing editor then explains why the paper was accepted for publication in The Journal. Towards the end of each meeting, there is an opportunity for participants to ask questions and a networking session usually follows, offering the opportunity for extended discussions. Each meeting is recorded and shared on our website and YouTube channel shortly after the meeting has taken place. Following each meeting, the host is also invited to write up a review reflecting on discussions had during the Virtual Journal Club for publication in The Journal. 

The Virtual Journal Club brings together researchers from all over the world of different career stages and physiological disciplines and in doing so, helps to strengthen existing networks as well as foster new ones. In addition, by encouraging attendees to ask clarifying questions, inquire about different aspects of the experimental design, critique the methods, and examine the results, the club helps to expand and balance the views of all in attendance. The success of the Virtual Journal Club to date means that it will likely be continued even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

If you have any queries, please contact events@physoc.org.

Past meetings

View the full list of past Virtual Journal Club meetings.