Annals editorial team: ave atque vale

Ave atque vale are the closing words of a Latin poem by the Roman poet Catullus. They are generally translated as ‘hail and farewell’. Classical purists among the Annals readership may have to hold their noses; the words are, strictly, addressed to the cinerem … mutem (‘silent ashes’) of the poet’s dead brother. However, despite this unpromising context, they have over the years acquired a more general currency, and it seems appropriate to use them here.

For there has of late been a lot of ‘hailing and farewelling’ at the Annals. First and foremost, our Editor-in-Chief, Dr Edmund Lamb, has stood down after eight years in post. Indeed, it is difficult to exaggerate his contribution to the journal over the past couple of decades; it has been enormous, and in many roles: as author, reviewer, Associate Editor, and finally Editor-in-Chief (EIC). As EIC, he has overseen the successful implementation of changes which have improved the visibility and metrics of the Annals, making it more attractive to authors and readers alike. Online First and Annals Express have shortened the time to publication of research articles; electronic table of contents alerts are now routinely available; and there is now open access to articles published more than two years previously. He has recruited additional specialty Associate Editors in haematology and microbiology, complementing the existing role in immunology. Collectively, these appointments robustly underpin the Annals’ claim to be a journal of laboratory medicine rather than simply clinical biochemistry. An additional innovation was the creation of the post of Deputy Editor, who now shares some of the many tasks previously undertaken exclusively by the EIC – as well as the difficult decisions! (I am very pleased that Dr Maurice O’Kane has agreed to replace me as Deputy Editor, and look forward to working closely with him). All in all, he leaves the journal is in a very healthy state for which I and the rest of the editorial team are very grateful. We are delighted that he has agreed to remain on the Editorial Board, thus maintaining his connection with the Annals. (So strictly that should be vale atque ave.)

We also find ourselves bidding farewell to another colleague who has contributed much to the Annals over many years. Dr Philip Wenham began his stint as Associate Editor under Dr Stephen Halloran and has served continuously since 2000, a record that is likely to stand for some time. (He got a special mention as the longest-standing Associate Editor the last time the EIC role changed hands!) Recently retired, he has finally decided to stand down. We are sorry to lose him and we thank him for a job well done and wish him well in his retirement.

There are quite a few new faces among the Associate Editor team. In 2016, we were joined by Dr Simon Fleming, and, as indicated above, by two other colleagues with a specialty brief: Dr Melanie Percy (haematology) and Dr Matthew Strutt (microbiology). More recently, in response to the changes necessitated by the EIC changeover, we have recruited Dr Phil Monaghan and Prof Hugo Neels. Between them these colleagues bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Associate Editor team which we will draw on in the years ahead. Hugo’s recruitment underlines the international flavour of the journal (he is based in Antwerp). I am very pleased that our regional Associate Editors in other parts of the world have indicated that they too are happy to remain in post.

Finally, I find myself echoing sentiments expressed by my predecessor – I am honoured to be the new Annals Editor-in-Chief, and hope that we can continue on the same successful path. If you think we can improve the way we do things, or the quality of what we publish, please let me know.