Changes at Clinical and Experimental Immunology

Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed a major change this year to the list of Editors. We are very grateful to Mark Walport, Peter Lachmann and Peter Openshaw for their important contributions to the journal. The new line-up consisting of seven rather than five editors provides an even greater spread of expertise, ably supported by a strong Editorial Board.

Although Clinical and Experimental Immunology is one of the two scientific journals of the British Society for Immunology, we consider it an international publication and this is confirmed by the large number of submissions we receive from around the world. Indeed, more than half the papers submitted in the past two years were sent from destinations beyond Europe. The journal offers a rapid but comprehensive reviewing process, with an average of only seven weeks from submission to a decision being taken. Electronic submission is encouraged and those manuscripts delivered to us in this way will be reviewed even more quickly. We intend electronic submission to be the norm from the end of 2002.

In addition, the Editors have decided to introduce a new section for Rapid Communications. These should describe major, cutting-edge discoveries and the requirements for submission are given in the Instructions for Authors. A decision will usually be made within three weeks of submission and publication will be expedited thereafter.

The journal has always published reviews, including a highly successful recent series on Immunodeficiency. We now wish to make reviews a regular feature of the journal. All reviews are peer-reviewed. Prospective authors are invited to submit reviews according to the Instructions to Authors. To prevent overlap with commissioned reviews, we would prefer to see a brief outline of the scope of any proposed review in advance of the whole manuscript; a rapid decision will be made on all outline proposals received. Remember to provide Tables and Figures!

Any feedback on the journal is welcome and I can be contacted via the Editorial Office (Post: CEI Editorial Office, BSI, Triangle House, Broomhill Road, London, SW18 4HX, UK; Tel.: +44 020 88752407; Fax: 020 88752422/2424; E-mail: [email protected]).

Tony Weetman

Editor