Abstract
It is a great pleasure to announce the launch of Magnetic Resonance Insights, a new peer reviewed open access journal published by Libertas Academica.
We plan to publish Magnetic Resonance research with focus on basic and applied research areas of nuclear and electron spin resonance, all aspects of clinical research, applications in biology, contrast agent development for molecular and physiological imaging, and MR Instrumentation including development of hybrid MR scanners (Ex. PET/MRI, Optical/MRI, Ultrasound/MRI).
Work on new techniques for imaging and spectroscopy, equipment, theory, results, procedures and methods is welcome. This journal will also publish review articles and articles with a focus on fundamentals/concepts of magnetic resonance that will help scientists initiating research in this area. As an open access journal, it provides a means for researchers and clinicians in the many different fields involved in magnetic resonance to communicate their ideas quickly and without barriers.
Magnetic Resonance is continuously evolving as a powerful tool in solving problems in physics, chemistry, engineering, material science, biology and also as the non-invasive diagnostic tool in medicine. Magnetic Resonance techniques have the potential to replace some invasive procedures like “biopsy” for determining tissue pathology. In addition, the newly emerging areas of cellular and molecular imaging will provide key insights in understanding cellular events in vivo. This will also shed some light on cell signalling mechanisms and perhaps monitor the repair of tissue injury in vivo. Apart from its potential application in clinical medicine, molecular and cellular imaging in small animals will enable us to study biological processes and understanding functional connectivity in vivo. I strongly believe that this journal will serve the important goal of translating ideas from bench to bedside.
This new journal builds on the rich history of these developments in nuclear magnetic resonance which have been honored by
The Nobel Prize in Physics to Felix Bloch and Edward M. Purcell in 1952 for their development of new methods for nuclear magnetic precision measurements and discoveries in connection therewith.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Richard R. Ernst in 1991 for his contributions to the development of the methodology of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Kurt Wüthrich in 2002 for his development of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for determining the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules in solution.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003 to Paul C. Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield for their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging.
In addition there are several other eminent scientists who have contributed to the growth of this field and have been recognized with prestigious prizes.
Magnetic Resonance Insights will be a unique open access journal, since all articles will be accessible without restriction to all internet users worldwide. This freedom is coupled to rigorous, fair and prompt standards of peer review, which will be undertaken by two or more experts in the relevant area of research. Open access publishing eliminates the problems inherent with print journals, such as high subscription prices and restrictive copyright policies preventing authors from reaching a wider range of scientific community. Open access journals cost nothing to read and are freely accessible via the World Wide Web.
Magnetic Resonance Insights is published exclusively online. Articles will follow a consistent format so that the visual impact will be high and equal to that of the best hard-copy publications. In contrast to paper-based journals, however, the electronic format allows the full use of digital technologies and permits the inclusion of large data sets, from field and laboratory studies, links to other web pages, animations, slide shows, video clips and unlimited color, all at no additional charge. Open access means that all articles are freely available to all, worldwide, and at no cost to the reader. Authors retain copyright of their work and can grant anyone the right to reproduce and disseminate it, provided that it is correctly cited and no errors are introduced, under the Creative Commons “CC-BY” license.
In hard-copy journals, the costs of publication are met by subscriptions, paid by the reader. In Magnetic Resonance Insights, as in other open access journals, these costs are borne by the author in the form of a publication processing fee. Many grant-awarding bodies recognize the value of open access publishing by allowing their funds to be used for PPFs. Fee waivers and discounts are available on a case-by-case basis, and we shall make every effort to ensure that lack of funds does not impede the overall objective of publishing the best science, irrespective of authorship or country of origin.
I do not foresee that open access, online journals will totally replace the traditional print format in the immediate future, although this may be an increasing trend with time. I am certain, however, that the benefits of online publication, and the extra opportunities that digital technologies give to authors, will be increasingly recognized. Open access is of huge benefit to the researchers working in institutions around the world where institutional libraries are unable to afford subscription fees for a full range of journals.
For further information on what we hope will be an exciting and highly useful new journal, please click on the “about this journal” links on the journal's web page.