December 2021

Letter From the JCTS Editor: The 5 Year Mark

At the end of 2021, JCTS will have completed its 5th year and we are happy to report that the history of the journal has been one of a consistent growth trajectory. I am very grateful to my predecessors as Editor-in-Chief, our founding Editor Dr. Arthur Feldman and the second Editor, Dr. George Mashour. They both provided a solid foundation for the journal and it has been a privilege to build on this. It is interesting to look back at the inaugural article by Dr. Feldman that introduced JCTS in 2017 (JCTS 2017:1:1-2) where he underscored that ACTS belongs to every scientist in the field. We again want to underscore this sentiment that the raison d’être for JCTS is to be a voice for our society members and beyond to publicize important new findings that advance clinical and translational science and serves to improve health.

From the journal’s first year, the number of submissions has now grown about 300% with an increase every year. For 2021, we exceeded the 2020 submission number some time in November and although the books are not yet closed, we can anticipate a healthy increase during the year. We are deeply grateful to the large number of authors who have submitted manuscripts and appreciate the trust they place in the journal. We have substantially expanded the Editorial Board during the year to be able to accommodate the growth and I want to give full credit to them and also to our junior editors, many of them K scholars. They have risen to the task and many of them have made important contributions to the journal. This was also the year when we were included in Scopus and the Emerging Source Citation Index, both of which represent major steps forward for the journal.

As Editor-in-Chief I am very pleased with the strong commitment and support from the ACTS Board. The Board takes a very active interest in the journal and the regular updates at the standing meetings are opportunities to deepen the synergy. The ACTS Publications Committee provides an additional avenue for interaction. In short, the interaction between the journal and the society goes deep and has been very beneficial. While abstracts from the Translational Science meeting already are published in JCTS, we are planning to include additional summaries from the upcoming TS22 meeting in the coming year. We are also grateful for the support of our second sponsor, Clinical Research Forum, and we look forward to highlighting the winners of the Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards during the coming year.

In a previous letter, I mentioned the thematic issue on Team Science, and I am pleased to report that this issue is now complete and presented on the JCTS website, being the 5th thematic issue published. The thematic issues that started in 2020 have been a welcome feature of JCTS and give us opportunities to highlight key areas relevant to clinical and translational science. In the coming months two additional issues will be published, one on Education and one on Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Calls are out soliciting contributions to two additional thematic issues, on Criminal Justice and on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. We have been approached with plans for some additional issues and once these are finalized, we will send out information and a call. I hope that there will be a continued interest in developing such thematic issues but I also want to underscore that the journal is open to all types of manuscript areas relevant to our core mission. As stated already from the start by Dr. Feldman, JCTS belongs to all of us and we are happy to work with our contributors to highlight key advances that serve to improve the clinical and translational science area.

As the year is coming to a close, I want to thank our colleagues who have submitted manuscripts, our Editorial Board, our very qualified and committed reviewers, the ACTS and CR Forum boards and our publisher, Cambridge University Press, for a very successful year. I wish everyone a very happy and healthy holiday season and I look forward to the coming year with optimism and excitement.

Lars Berglund, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS)

Translational Science 2022: Award Nominations Are Open

The nomination deadline for Translational Science 2022 awards is Monday, January 3!  Honor your fellow investigators and educators for their contributions to translational science. Self nominations are welcome.

Visit our website for more information about Translational Science 2022 and register today!

News From the Hill: December 20, 2021

The Senate took action to finalize a handful of must-pass items before adjourning in December and ending the first session of the 117th Congress. Most notably, lawmakers raised the debt-ceiling, passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act, and delayed a pending 2% Medicare sequester cut. With moderate and progressive Democrats unable to reach an agreement on the Build Back BetterAct (BBB) human infrastructure package, negotiations will carry over to the new year.

Read more on the ACTS Advocacy page.

August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research

Indiana University School of Medicine is pleased to award the August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research. The prize is one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious awards, recognizing individuals focused on shepherding scientific discoveries into new therapies for patients. The prize is awarded to a senior investigator who has made a significant contribution to the field of translational science. The winner will receive $100,000 and will spend September 14-16, 2022 in Indianapolis, as a vising dignitary, sharing insights and knowledge with audiences at IU School of Medicine and its partner institutions.

Nominees for the August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research should be members of the scientific or medical community who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in translational research.

The deadline for all nomination materials for the award is January 21, 2022. Any questions about the nomination process may be directed to amwprize@iu.edu or 317-278-2874.

Career Center

The ACTS Career Center is the premier resource for connecting those in the field of translational science with career opportunities. Visit today to find a wealth of resources to help achieve your career goals.

ACTS members receive a 50% discount on the site—use code ACTSMEMBER to save!

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Member Highlights

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for outstanding or groundbreaking work? Is your institution embarking on an exciting project? Send ACTS your story to be highlighted in future versions of ACTS Connection.

Submit stories here.

Translational Science Today

CCTS Debuts Comic Book on E-cigarette Use by Young Adults

What's the best way to fight science misinformation? In the case of electronic cigarette use by young adults, a team at the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) chose a novel approach - a research-based...
Read more
www.ccts.uky.edu

Thank you to Mallory Profeta from the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science for this member highlight submission!