Happy new year from MedChemComm

The MedChemComm Editorial Board and Editorial Team would like to welcome you to this first issue of 2013 and to also thank all of our authors, referees and readers for their support throughout 2012.

Highlights in 2012

Throughout 2012 MedChemComm continued its mission to publish both highly significant research in traditional areas of medicinal chemistry and cutting edge work in new or interdisciplinary topics, all with the goal of bringing new thinking to the subject.

A particular highlight of 2012 was the Natural Products themed issue. This is an area with rich potential for medicinal chemists, and the Editorial by Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova and Christopher T. Walsh (DOI: 10.1039/c2md90031a) details why natural products continue to play such an important role in the drug discovery process.

Several studies provided us with a growing understanding of the PK properties of large molecules, including ‘Optimizing PK properties of cyclic peptides: the effect of side chain substitutions on permeability and clearance’ by Arthur C. Rand et al. (DOI: 10.1039/c2md20203d) and ‘Examining the effects of vitamin B₁₂ conjugation on the biological activity of insulin: a molecular dynamic and in vivo oral uptake investigation’ by Susan Clardy-James et al. (DOI: 10.1039/c2md20040f).

Our 2012 Lectureship winner, Patrick Gunning, and colleagues showed interesting new approaches to an important signaling family: ‘Inhibitors of Stat5 protein signaling’ (DOI: 10.1039/c1md00175b). A newly emerging family that appears susceptible to small molecule intervention was reported by Silviya D. Furdas et al.: ‘Inhibition of bromodomain-mediated protein–protein interactions as a novel therapeutic strategy’ (DOI: 10.1039/c1md00201e).

Finally, Michael J. Waring and colleagues demonstrated the growing commitment to property-based optimisation in traditional medicinal chemistry: ‘Property based optimisation of glucokinase activators – discovery of the phase IIb clinical candidate AZD1656’ (DOI: 10.1039/c2md20077e).

There are many ways to stay in touch with the latest research in MedChemComm, including contents alerts, the MedChemComm newsletter, the journal blog and our Twitter feed.†

Themed issues

Themed issues in MedChemComm provide a platform for the presentation and discussion of new research in areas which we believe are of particular value and importance to the medicinal chemistry community. As well as the Natural Products issue, the journal also published a theme which focussed on advances in Epigenetics research (guest edited by Mark Bunnage and Rasmus Clausen). 2013 will see the publication of further themed issues, starting in this issue with our New Talent theme. This highlights work from key emerging scientists and continues the journal's commitment to support up-and-coming researchers.

MedChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship

The MedChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship is awarded annually to a researcher who has made a significant contribution to medicinal chemistry research in the early part of their career. The recipient will also have published an article in MedChemComm. In 2012 we awarded the inaugural Lectureship to Patrick Gunning (University of Toronto, Canada) in recognition of his research into the manipulation of protein function. Patrick will deliver his lecture later this year. The 2013 Lectureship recipient will be announced shortly.

Working in partnership with the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry

MedChemComm is the official journal of the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC), which represents 25 scientific organisations from 23 European countries. This continued partnership exemplifies both the EFMC's and MedChemComm's aspirations to advance the field of medicinal chemistry. The MedChemComm Editorial Board continues to show a strong EFMC representation through their President Dr Uli Stilz.

MedChemComm at conferences

In 2012 the MedChemComm Editorial Team visited a number of conferences, which gave us great opportunities to meet some of the top scientists in the area, see the latest research developments and discuss the journal with our authors, referees and readers. Look out for the MedChemComm team and Editorial Board members at conferences throughout 2013, including the EFMC ‘Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry’ conference in San Francisco. Full details of the conferences that the team will be attending in 2013 will be available early in the year. If you would like to arrange a meeting with a member of the team at one of these conferences please contact them at E-mail: medchemcom-rsc@rsc.org

We hope that you enjoy reading this first issue of 2013.

 

Professor Greg Verdine

Co-Editor-in-Chief

 

Dr Tony Wood

Co-Editor-in-Chief

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Footnote

† Subscribe to MedChemComm contents alerts and newsletters: http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/forms/V5profile.asp. MedChemComm blog: http://blogs.rsc.org/MD. MedChemComm Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/MedChemComm

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