An editorial transition is taking place with this issue of Immnunological Investigations and I would like to take this opportunity to review the history of the journal. The first issue of Immunological Investigations was published in 1972 as Immunological Communications. It was created by an editorial committee composed of several members of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York at Buffalo. These members were Pierluigi E. Bigazzi, Stanley Cohen, Carel J. van Oss, Morris Reichlin, Allan Grossberg, and Noel Rose as Chairman. The cover art of those first issues showed a Venn diagram with the intersections of the central circle of immunology with medicine, hematology, genetics, microbiology, chemistry, biology and pathology.
In 1985 the journal was renamed Immunological Investigations to reflect its emphasis on complete manuscripts rather than rapid communications. During the last 34 years of this journal, many hallmark papers were published in basic and clinical immunology. Dr. C.J. van Oss began as chairman of the editorial committee for the third volume and has headed this journal ever since. On the occasion of his 80th birthday this month Dr. van Oss has made the decision to step aside to become Editor Emeritus of the journal. He certainly can look back on this journal as one of the many fine accomplishments of his career as an immunologist. Dr. van Oss has published widely in immunochemistry, including some early work on the number of paratopes in an IgM molecule, and some recent research on the adjuvant potential of silicon in breast implants. Although Dr. van Oss will decrease his involvement with this journal, he remains an active academic presence at the University at Buffalo.
I have been acquainted with Dr. van Oss, and with the journal since 1980, when I was a graduate student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University at Buffalo. Dr. van Oss has been a kind mentor and friend for many years.
To introduce myself to you, I have been a member of the editorial committee of Immunological Investigations since 1997 (Kate Rittenhouse‐Diakun) and prior to this time I was a member of the editorial advisory board for 2 years. Recently I became certified as a Specialist in Immunology by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, I teach an undergraduate immunology course and my own research involves the study of the immune response to carbohydrate antigens, carbohydrate–galectin interactions and the immunological effects of photodynamic therapy.
Changes rarely come one at a time, and this change in editor will also be accompanied by some changes in the journal. You may have noticed over the last few issues that there have been changes in the editorial board, and in addition there will be a change in at least one issue a year. To begin, one issue a year will be a thematic issue, containing a review article and research articles in the same area. I will invite prominent authors to write review articles in their area of expertise, but in a manner that would interest immunologists of broad backgrounds. I will also invite other scientists studying this same area to submit research articles for peer review for publication in the same issue. The reader interested in the thematic topic will be drawn to the issue by the review article and will see the related articles, and may also cite them, further increasing the impact factor of the journal. If you have any suggestions for these topics or would like to volunteer for a future thematic issue please let me know. The first thematic issue will be on cytokines, chemokines and signaling and will include a review article which will be from the laboratory of Dr. Sarah Gaffen.
I am proud and honored to follow in the footsteps of Dr. van Oss as editor of Immunological Investigations. In conclusion, I hope that you will all join me in wishing Dr. van Oss a very happy 80th birthday.
Kate Rittenhouse‐Olson
Editor