It is with great pleasure that we introduce a special edition of Platelets devoted to our founder and Editor-in-Chief, Professor Stan Heptinstall, who stood down from this role at the end of 2014 after 25 years of dedication to the journal. We have invited a number of Stan’s colleagues and friends within the Platelet community to write a series of reviews highlighting his magnificent contributions to the journal, the field and to the international community of platelet researchers. In the first article, Alan Nurden presents a history of the journal Platelets highlighting many of the key articles published over the years and thanking Stan for pioneering the journal. Ken Clemetson reviews Stan’s many varied and important contributions to platelet research during his career. Stan’s collaborators and friends, Peter Spangenberg and Wolfgang Losche, present a history of the Erfurt Platelet meetings, highlighting Stan’s role in their success. Another close friend and colleague, Beate Kehrel, provides a historical review of the German Platelet Meetings, recalling Stan’s participation and many contributions to the meetings. Stan’s participation in meetings was always a welcome site because of his warmth and kindness, specialist knowledge and enthusiasm, and his support to social events. Stan published the abstracts of many of these meetings in Platelets. This pioneering spirit of the European Platelet Researchers has left an important legacy in the community and has played a key role in the setting up of a European Platelet Network (EUPLAN), which includes a biannual research conference targeted at early career researchers. Stan was an important teacher and mentor for many leading platelet researchers including Rob Storey and Mark Thomas who have contributed a review on the future of P2Y12 receptor antagonists, which is a one of Stan’s most active areas of platelet research. Stan’s experience in platelet biology has led to the development of a remote platelet function test which is reviewed by Natasha Dovlatova and colleagues from his research team in the University of Nottingham and the spinout company, Platelet Solutions. Stan has made important contributions to the role of platelets in stroke which are highlighted in an article led by Dominick McCabe’s research team from Dublin. This includes reference to an early observation by Stan on increased platelet reactivity to ADP in stroke patients and to Stan’s work on dipyrimadole, which is still used in the clinic. These articles are a fitting tribute to the many important contributions that Stan has made to the field, the platelet community and to the journal. Stan is of course still active, continuing in his role with Platelet Solutions and in the local community as Councillor for Bramcote and Mayor of the Borough of Broxtowe. On behalf of the entire International Platelet Community we would like to thank Stan for leaving us with the legacy of Platelets.
Paul Harrison
Steve P. Watson
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Editors in Chief