Editorial pubs.acs.org/biochemistry
Building on 50 Years of Excellence Where Chemistry Meets Life Science he first issue of Biochemistry appeared on January 1, 1962, following what could only be described as a watershed year for biological chemistry. Abraham and Newton reported the structure of cephalosporin C, a discovery that catalyzed the development of new semisynthetic antibiotics, revolutionized infectious disease treatment, and fueled the robust field of pharmaceutical science that still exists today. Nirenberg and Matthaei reported that poly-U uniquely promoted the cell-free translation of polyphenylalanine, arguably the very first crack in the genetic code and the biochemical bedrock for much of modern biotechnology. Societally more complex events were described as well: the first strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were identified in 1961, in the United Kingdom, catalyzing a call to action in microbiology, natural products biosynthesis, and medicinal chemistry that persists today, and the (then) antinausea drug thalidomide was withdrawn from sale, prompting the Kefauver-Harris Drug Amendment and the Food and Drug Administration requirement that a drug be proven not just effective but also safe. It is fair to say that never before was the sense so strong that detailed chemical and mechanistic studies could not just illuminate but actually solve (or prevent) some of the world’s most topical problems. Brought into existence in this climate of discovery, and led by the legendary Hans Neurath, Biochemistry contained in its first issues classic and forward-thinking papers, many of which are still relevant (and read and cited) today. Bare-knuckled enzymology was strong from day one with the Bender and Vallee classics “The Kinetics of the α-Chymotrypsin-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of p-Nitrophenyl Acetate” and “Alkaline Phosphatase of Escherichia coli: A Zinc Metalloenzyme”, respectively, but these first issues also contained harbingers of a broader biochemistry, with superb works on membrane protein structural biology, glycobiology, RNA−small molecule interactions, activity-based protein profiling, and even bioorthogonal reactions. In that year, and for many years hence with Gordon Hammes, Richard Armstrong, and then Charles Sanders expertly at the helm, Biochemistry faithfully represented the cutting edge of research into the chemical and mechanistic basis of biological function. We all grew up reading Biochemistry, no-nonsense, intellectually rich papers focused on the chemical why behind the world of biology exploding around us. Today, the field of biochemistry bears little resemblance to the field in 1961, or even 2001. Research into the chemical basis of biology and medicine has expanded in uncountable and unanticipated new directions and makes use of a disciplinarily diverse and growing set of new tools. I fully intend for Biochemistry to remain the preeminent home for outstanding research on the interplay of macromolecular structure and function, including protein and nucleic acid enzymology, protein folding, and membrane structure and function. I also fully intend it to become a preferred venue for outstanding research in all of biological chemistry, welcoming broad
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© 2016 American Chemical Society
interest, creative, rigorous contributions in chemical and synthetic biology, disease biology, nucleic acid biology, neurobiology, cell biology, and even immunobiology, as well as the development of methods to support these investigations. Although some faces on the editorial roster must change to reflect this expansion, all Biochemistry editors will be world leaders who knowledgeably and efficiently shepherd your work through the review process, reach decisions quickly, and communicate effectively, and that the transition will be managed with utmost care. All editors, familiar or not, will be highlighted in upcoming editorials, along with descriptions of additional initiatives, including new manuscript classes, awards for young authors, more user-friendly internal organization, and an extensive marketing campaign. In summary, let me emphasize that I am incredibly excited and deeply honored to lead Biochemistry into the future. The role of a journal is to inform and inspire; my singular goal is for more scientists (and more types of scientists) to be informed and inspired by the work in Biochemistry. Authors who are curious about the suitability of their research for Biochemistry (primary submissions, Current Topics reviews, or Perspectives) can simply send a cover letter and a paragraph describing the scope of the proposed manuscript to
[email protected]. I promise a response within 24 h. Sincerely,
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Alanna Schepartz, Editor-in-Chief AUTHOR INFORMATION
Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily the views of the ACS.
Received: August 22, 2016 Published: September 13, 2016 4997
DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00852 Biochemistry 2016, 55, 4997−4997
