Abstract
Where to start? Some of us are banned from our workplaces, so it’s hard to know when we’ll all see our hard copies of this issue of International Journal of Toxicology. I am hoping that everyone seeing this message is safe and healthy, but as COVID-19 marches on, I realize that the odds of my “Pollyanna” optimism being reality is unrealistic. Know that I am thinking of you, even if I do not know you, in this dangerous, sad, and unsettling time.
With regard to this issue of International Journal of Toxicology, I believe that there is a bit of “something for everyone.” We are privileged to partner with the Academy of Toxicological Sciences (ATS) to publish the reflections of the ATS 2020 Mildred S. Christian Career Achievement Award, Dr Samuel M. Cohen. For the newer members of American College of Toxicology (ACT) who may have not met Dr Millie Christian, Dr Christian was a force in the founding of the ACT, as well as the Founding Editor of the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, which is the predecessor of our current International Journal of Toxicology. In addition, Dr Cohen was ACT’s Distinguished Scientist in Toxicology Award recipient in 2016.
Other articles in the current issue of the journal include the much-awaited Tenth Triennial Toxicology Salary Survey (Dexter W. Sullivan Jr and Shayne C. Gad); enjoy discussing these results with your colleagues! We also feature this month an article that describes an alternative method of assessing cell viability in response to nanomaterial exposures (Nguyen et al). Cell impedance measurements do not rely on absorbance measurements, which we know based on an article published previously published in International Journal of Toxicology, 1 can be negatively influenced by the presence of nanoparticles in cells or in media supporting cells. Another article (a mini-review), which is sure to interest some of our readers, deals with the topic of water pipes and adverse health effects. While there have been prior publications on this topic, this one is unique in that it addresses genotoxic end points associated with water pipe use. I hope that these, as well as the remaining articles in this issue, provide some interesting and stimulating reading.
One of the joys of sitting in my editor’s chair, so to speak, is to cultivate new reviewers for the journal. The ACT’s Early Career Professionals (ECPs) are encouraged to volunteer for various ACT committees and activities, and I am grateful that some of our ECPs have indicated an interest in reviewing articles for International Journal of Toxicology. But then comes “the question”: how does one review a manuscript?
Realizing that there is probably lots of other advice available on this topic, I nonetheless decided to put together my own tips for reviewing manuscripts (included as the last article in this issue). These tips are based on my own experience, and also serve as a response to some frequently asked questions that I receive on this topic. Feel free to ignore this article if you are already an experienced reviewer, or share with a young toxicologist if you feel that it might be useful to him/her.
Please be well, stay well, and continue your support of International Journal of Toxicology, whether this support consists of recruiting manuscripts for the journal, reviewing manuscripts for the journal, or submitting your manuscript for publication in International Journal of Toxicology. As always, I appreciate your suggestions and support in all forms!