Abstract
It is my pleasure and honor to be appointed as the new editor-in-chief for Toxicologic Pathology and I look forward to the hard work and challenges ahead. Some have commented on the fact that I am the first female editor-in-chief for our journal and I assure you that I am extremely proud of this distinction!
I have the benefit of succeeding Dr. John Foster who has worked tirelessly for the past six years and has done an excellent job for this journal. Everyone is profoundly grateful for his leadership and achievements during his tenure. Some of his accomplishments include an annual increase in submissions, a decrease in review and acceptance timelines, transition to an online first edition in addition to the printed version, appointment of a dedicated associate editor to manage all regulatory forum manuscripts, and he has worked with the British and Latin American Societies of Toxicologic Pathology to make Toxicologic Pathology the official journal of those societies. He will be missed as editor but I’m sure he will find other areas of leadership within the Society of Toxicologic Pathology.
This year Toxicologic Pathology celebrates its 41st year in print. Due to the hard work of past editors, editorial boards, reviewers, journal staff, publishing staff, and authors who have submitted top quality manuscripts, our journal is now a global key point of reference for toxicologic pathologists. It is my intention to maintain this distinction but to also look for ways to improve the quality and importance of our journal.
During my tenure I will be hard at work behind the scenes with a very hands-on approach. My operational plans include regular teleconferences with staff and the editorial board, developing new guidance documents for editorial board members, and updating author instruction documents. I also want to ensure that we are at the forefront in terms of online tools and article presentation. On a day-to-day basis my major goal will be to always strive to improve the quality of manuscripts accepted by our journal.
As any new editor would do, I plan on evaluating the current status of the journal and looking for opportunities for improvement. To accomplish this goal I will form a task force to develop a strategic plan that will guide the journal over the next 1-5 years. Goals, action items and timelines will help us navigate the future of our journal.
Some of the highlights for 2014 include publication of the latest INHAND nomenclature supplements, including one on the female reproductive system. Other INHAND supplements on the horizon are the digestive, cardiovascular, skeletal, and endocrine systems as well as the special senses and hematopoietic/lymphoid organs. Special Guest Associate Editors Drs. Dan Morton and Lindsay Tomlinson are developing a special Drug Induced Vascular Injury issue for July. This devoted issue will certainly be a valued desk reference for anyone working in the field of vascular injury.
Finally, I am excited about the future of our journal. I will work with our dedicated staff and the editorial board to continue to publish high quality papers that can be used by you in your practice and research on a daily basis. A great deal of the success of our journal, however, depends on readers and authors so your continued support will be much appreciated!