Mike Collis
Editor, Physiology News

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.97.5

This is my final editorial for Physiology News (PN), as I am standing down as Editor at the end of this year. When I took over as editor in 2012, I posed the question, ‘Why should members pick up Physiology News to read when they have a pile of scientific papers to plough through?’ I also mused about the role of a quarterly hard copy magazine in an era where information can be transmitted almost immediately through electronic media. After acting as editor of PN for the last three years, I am reassured that the magazine is being read widely by members of The Society (84% according to the recent membership survey). Interestingly, about 70% prefer to read the hard copy, so even in a digital age, there is still a need for a paper magazine.

A further question I have asked myself is, ‘What is the unique selling point of PN’? Is it primarily a means by which The Society trustees and associated committees communicate with the members? Or is it a vehicle for The Society office to keep members informed of past and new ventures? Is it primarily a publication that highlights new and interesting physiological science? Or a publication that reports on members’ activities – a way for The Society to promote itself to non-members? In truth PN is all of these, but integrating such a wide range of content from different sources needs good team work and a clear alignment of responsibility and authority. Fundamentally PN is (and should remain) a magazine for members, written and directed by members, with the expert help of Society staff.

I have been lucky to have had the support of a very hard working and enthusiastic editorial board. The board have a range of backgrounds, expertise and experience (including chairs of two Society committees) and broadly reflect the membership. Together we have introduced a wide range of articles: Science features and updates, the clinical application of physiological research, discussions on ethics, science policy and research funding. We have published articles on the activities of members, laboratory profiles, book reviews and, sadly, obituaries. A major innovation has been themed issues, which have featured Education, Imaging, The Pharmaceutical Industry and most recently Obesity. I am particularly proud of PN 91, which was produced to coincide with The Society hosting the IUPS 2013 meeting and included articles from many sister societies from around the world.

A new format and design for PN was introduced in 2012. The standardised format of contents has been well-received with the majority of members considering it a more enjoyable read than previously. The original re-design of the magazine received mixed comments from members and the board. We all feel that ‘content is king’ and that the simpler design we have now adopted provides a modern look and feel, without compromising the content or gravitas of Physiology News. Identifying compelling cover images for each issue, which encourage the casual reader to pick up the magazine, has been a challenge. We would welcome relevant images from members of The Society that would fulfil this important function.

This edition (PN 97) contains the usual diverse mix of articles. Scientific features written by members are included that present an area of research in a more ‘digestible’ form than is typical in a research paper or review. Feedback from members indicates that these types of accessible scientific articles are much appreciated and are often useful as teaching aids. Physiology News is of course not a peer- reviewed scientific journal and consequently we ensure that science based articles do not contain unpublished (un-reviewed) data. A delicate balance has to be struck between making physiological research more accessible and oversimplification. I hope that, as a board, we have got the balance right more often than not. The value of these science based articles would be increased if they could be searched easily online and I am pleased to say that there are plans to introduce a new platform for the archive to facilitate this in 2015.

There are many people who I want to thank for their support for PN over the last 3 years: the other members of the editorial board (Siobhan Dennis, Mike Evans, Sarah Hall, Jamie McPhee, David Miller and Keith Siew), the publications staff of The Society and of course all those who have contributed articles to the magazine. I am sure that Physiology News will go from strength to strength under the leadership of a new editor and wish all involved success with this important publication.