Molecular BioSystems enters its fifth year!

Introduction

Molecular BioSystems enters its fifth year of publication on a high note following a very successful 2008 which included a 68% increase in impact factor to 4.121, the highly successfully Emerging Investigators issue and much more.

The journal has continued to cover a range of important areas in biology including: analysis of metabolic networks, modulation of gene expression, quorum sensing in bacteria, vectors for enhanced gene delivery, signalling in plants, chemical approaches for biomarker discovery and target lead identification and signalling networks in normal and disease states.

The molecular basis of human disease has continued to feature prominently in the research described in the journal. Some of the articles in 2008 related to neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, ovarian and other cancers and work on HIV and infectious agents such as bacteria.

The tools needed to make significant discoveries are also an important feature of the journal scope. High-throughput technologies and their applications continue to feature strongly in both research papers and review articles. The development and applications of imaging technologies is another area of growing interest and computational approaches are increasingly being covered within the pages the journal.

The range of subjects covered in Molecular BioSystems continues to be reflected on the journal covers, with an attractive variety of images supplied by our authors (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Just some of the striking images on the cover in 2008.

Impact factor

One of the biggest highlights in 2008 was the impact factor of 4.121 announced by ISI® in June. The figure is taken from the total number of citations given in 2007 to articles published in 2005 and 2006, divided by the total number of articles published in those two years. This figure was a staggering 68% increase on the previous year’s figure.

New Editorial Board members

The Editorial Board of Molecular BioSystems consists of a group of committed scientists within the chemical biology and systems biology communities. Two new members are joining the Board in 2009 taking the total membership to twelve. It is our pleasure to welcome Professor Young-Tae Chang and Professor John Koh to the Editorial Board team. Read more about them in the Profile article later in this issue.

Emerging investigators issue

Last summer saw the first Emerging Investigators issue in Molecular BioSystems which highlighted the work of some of the outstanding young scientists at the chemical- and systems-biology interfaces.

This issue was so successful that we plan to publish a similar issue in the summer. So look out for the next Emerging Investigators issue in 2009!

Themed issues in 2009

As well as the Emerging Investigators issue, two other issues on specific themes were published in 2008. The theme of ‘metabolomic analysis of microorganisms’ was published in Issue 2. This issue was introduced by Editorial Board members Hirotada Mori and Tadhg Begley and covered modelling and experimental aspects of this very important field.

Macromolecular machines was the theme running through Issue 11, which was an issue dedicated to Professor Bruce Alberts of UCSF in commemoration of his 70th birthday and in recognition of his very significant contributions to science and education. This issue was introduced by Editorial Board Chair Tom Kodadek who highlighted some of the key discoveries that Bruce Alberts has been involved in.

Looking ahead, 2009 will see the publication of a ‘synthetic biology’ issue organized by Editorial Board members Sachdev Sidhu and Hagan Bayley. The second half of the year will feature a ‘computational systems biology’ issue put together by Board members M Madan Babu and Hirotada Mori.

For more information about past and future themed issues view the themed issue webpage here: www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/mb/Special_Issues.asp.

42nd IUPAC congress

Molecular BioSystems is co-hosting a two day symposium during the 42nd IUPAC Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, 2–7 August, 2009. The Congress as a whole includes a wide range of over 50 symposia and the one organized jointly by Molecular BioSystems, the Analyst and Lab on a Chip will take place on the 4th and 5th August.

Entitled ‘The Chemistry–Biology Interface: Drug Targets and Diagnostics’, this exciting interdisciplinary symposium will include talks by Thomas Kodadek, Douglas Kell, Paul Workman and others. We welcome submissions of abstracts: the oral abstract deadline is coming up soon, on 16th January, and the poster abstract deadline is 5th June. For more details about the Congress view the webpage here: www.iupac2009.org.

More papers and greater impact

As we look forward to 2009, RSC Publishing is working with more authors than ever before. 2008 saw the number of authors published in RSC Journals increase by 30%. Meanwhile sister journals of Molecular BioSystems from across the collection recorded impressive rises in impact factors, and the latest immediacy indices confirm the relevance and topicality of research published by the RSC.

RSC Publishing is committed to providing a world-class publishing service and global visibility to its authors and with the number of citations increasing and impact factors rising it is clear to see that Molecular BioSystems and RSC Publishing are recognised by researchers throughout the world as key resources to publish and read the very best research.

Your RSC subscriptions and free content

We know that it can be difficult to keep track of online resources that are available to you. So, we’ve introduced a special web page to help you to find out exactly what RSC content you can access. This new page is called Your RSC Subscriptions (www.rsc.org/Publishing/your_access.asp) and it lists all products for which your organisation has a current subscription, plus other content which may be available to you, such as the RSC Journals Archive and the RSC eBook collection.

You can also find out about RSC content that is available free, including: research articles that are free for a limited time; news articles in magazines; and free chapters from the RSC eBook Collection. Visit www.rsc.org/Publishing/freeRSCcontent.asp.

RSC’s hot prospect

The competition is hotting up as other leading scientific publishers announce plans to follow RSC’s lead and apply semantic technologies to add value to journal articles. Three years on from launch, award winning RSC Prospect—the service we use to structure the science within Molecular BioSystems and other RSC Journal HTML articles—is setting the standard, offering new ways to discover, use, understand and analyse research articles that weren’t previously possible. For the latest innovations and news visit www.projectprospect.org.

Same great ReSourCe—just better!

During 2009 we will release a new version of ReSourCe, our system for online manuscript submission and peer review (www.rsc.org/resource). Already popular with authors and referees, we’ve listened to your feedback and made further improvements to our service. We’re keen to build on your experience of ReSourCe, so if you would you like to help us shape the next release by taking part in beta-testing or by supplying your comments and suggestions please contact E-mail: resourcesupport@rsc.org.

Food: the RSC theme for 2009

In 2009, the theme for RSC public engagement activities will be food; looking at all aspects of the supply chain from field to fork and eventually to waste disposal and recycling. Planned activities include the launch of a major report into securing a sustainable food supply; the publication of a new edition of the ground-breaking book Kitchen Chemistry; lectures and events at the new Chemistry Centre at Burlington House—the world’s foremost venue for showcasing chemistry; and Chemistry Week 2009 (7th–15th November), when practising scientists and science teachers will engage in a week-long festival for the chemical sciences. Please get in touch with us (E-mail: food@rsc.org) if you would like to be involved.

New journals

Our journal portfolio has expanded with the launch of three new journals. Energy & Environmental Science, launched in July 2008, publishes research from all aspects of the chemical sciences relating to energy conversion and storage, alternative fuel technologies and environmental science, www.rsc.org/ees.

Metallomics: Integrated biometal science covers the research fields related to metals in biological, environmental and clinical systems, www.rsc.org/metallomics.

Integrative Biology: Quantitative biosciences from nano to macro is a unique, interdisciplinary journal covering quantitative multi-scale biology using enabling technologies and tools to exploit the convergence of biology with physics, chemistry, engineering, imaging and informatics, www.rsc.org/ibiology.

The current issue of all three journals is freely available online. Free online institutional access to all 2009 content is available for registered users—full details are on the web site.

eBook Collection

The RSC eBook Collection has become a world-class electronic resource with licenses being signed to leading institutions across the globe. New content continues to be uploaded regularly and this comprehensive resource now includes over 800 quality titles. Electronic book publications are uploaded within days of print publication, effortlessly disseminating extensive, high-quality, scientific content direct to scientists, libraries, students, teachers and researchers around the world. Please visit www.rsc.org/eBooks for further information or visit the RSC eBook Collection.

Over 80 new print books will be published in 2009 as our list continues to grow in size and importance in the international market. Keep up-to-date with all the latest cutting edge titles being published by the RSC by visiting www.rsc.org/ej_alert and subscribing to our eAlerts. We send regular information on discount offers, print books and new electronic content throughout the year.

And finally…

A big thank-you to all our authors, referees and readers for their enthusiastic support during 2008. On behalf of the Molecular BioSystems team, we would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2009!

Plate1 Thomas KodadekChair, Molecular BioSystems Editorial Board

Plate2 Sarah ThomasEditor, Molecular BioSystems

Plate3 Michael SmithCommissioning Editor, Molecular BioSystems

Plate4 Kathryn SearDeputy Editor, Molecular BioSystems

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