Abstract
On January 1, 2019, I had the honor and privilege of assuming the role of Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (JCPT). I begin my tenure with some trepidation, as I follow in the footsteps of 2 titans in the field of cardiovascular research: the late Dr Bramah N. Singh, who founded JCPT in 1996, and Dr Robert A. Kloner, who served as editor from 2009 to 2018. Nonetheless, I also begin my term with a sense of excitement, together with a commitment to build on the substantial legacies of my distinguished predecessors.
Our Milestone: “Five in Five”
Under the expert stewardship of Dr Kloner, JCPT achieved an impressive ∼4-fold growth in manuscript submissions and ∼1.6-fold increase in impact factor: that is, from 1.87 in 2009 to its current value of 2.936. Indeed, the journal has, during the past decade, become a well-regarded forum for the publication of manuscripts focused on cardiovascular pharmacology and cardioprotection. My overarching goal is to capitalize on the momentum developed by Dr Kloner to elevate the reputation, ranking, and visibility of the JCPT in the cardiovascular field and achieve a proposed milestone of “Five in Five”: that is, a target Impact Factor of 5.0, achieved within the next 5 years.
New Initiatives
To assist in achieving this ambitious but feasible goal, multiple new initiatives will be launched: Effective immediately, JCPT will broaden the scope of its publications to encourage the submission of novel and high-quality cardiovascular epidemiologic studies, meta-analyses, and cost-effectiveness studies. Our objective is to position JCPT as the “go-to” journal for publication of landmark contributions to this growing component of the cardiovascular literature. Effective this year, JCPT will establish 2 annual awards designed to recognize the most outstanding publications in the journal: the “Best Paper: Basic/Translational Science” and “Best Paper: Clinical Science” Awards. The authorship team of each “Best Paper” will receive US$1000, and all publications in 2019 will be eligible. Beginning in January 2020, and with the goal of increasing the visibility and readership of the journal, JCPT will launch the publication of high-profile and state-of-the art “Master Class” Review Articles. These reviews will be by invitation, will focus on timely/novel themes in cardiovascular therapy, and will be solicited from leaders in the field.
Teamwork and Collaboration
Our goal of “Five in Five” can only be achieved with the involvement of an accomplished and engaged editorial team. In this regard, I am delighted that 3 outstanding colleagues have agreed to serve as associate editors for JCPT: Bruno Podesser, MD (Professor of Animal Research and Cardiac Surgery; Head of the Center for Biomedical Research at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria), Richard S. Vander Heide, MD, PhD (Professor of Pathology at Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana), and Peter Whittaker, PhD (Professor of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan). All 3 associate editors are distinguished cardiovascular scientists and bring distinct areas of expertise to the journal. In addition, we are joined by a robust and diverse Editorial Board composed of 85 respected basic, translational, and clinical investigators: the board includes members from 5 continents, with expertise ranging from molecular biology to epidemiology. We are, as a team, dedicated to expanding the legacy of JCPT and achieving our milestone of “Five in Five.”