Knowledge of plant, animal and human biological rhythms dates back several centuries; however, it was not until the 1960s when chronobiology attracted serious scientific interest. Then, and for several decades thereafter, the publication of chronobiology research in academic journals was difficult, since the field was not yet appreciated. Chronobiology International was founded in 1984 to achieve two important goals of the time: to serve as a peer review medium for the publication of quality chronobiology investigations and to further the development of chronobiology as a valid and respected science. The journal has successfully achieved both goals. Nowadays, chronobiology is incorporated into practically all fields of human and non-human endeavors, including ecology, biology, sociology and psychology. This is verified by the great diversity of topics comprising each journal issue – from basic and applied chronobiology to methods, statistics and hardware/software technology for biological rhythm study.
The needs of rhythm researchers of today differ than those of the pioneers of yesterday, and the editor and editorial board of the journal seek and welcome input from the readership as to how the journal can best meet them. The journal will continue to promote education of sound methods for the conduct of chronobiology research, of special relevance to both young and seasoned investigators now entering the field, and advocate for the assimilation of relevant findings into routine practice, whether in clinical and occupational medicine, sport training and competitive performance or the many other disciplines in which significant chronobiologic advances have been realized. Additionally, it will continue to be a forum for dialogue about chronobiologic perspectives, methods and findings and their integration into allied and emerging fields, for example, bioinformatics that relies on big and archival wake-time-specific databases that are thus incomplete in the absence of around-the-clock values and as a consequence when analyzed give rise to non-representative findings.
The field of chronobiology and its representative transdisciplinary journal Chronobiology International have bright futures. We are honored to have been chosen to succeed Dr. Francesco Portaluppi, retiring Editor-in-Chief of Chronobiology International, to whom we offer our sincere gratitude for his superb and successful management of the journal in the past years. We are grateful as well to Dr. Alain Reinberg, a co-founder of Chronobiology International, and Dr. Yvan Touitou for their dedication to the success of the journal as former Editors-in-Chief.