A New Year, A New Initiative.

Abstract

As we welcome in 2022, it is an opportune time to look back at the events of the past year and to look forward to the implementation of new initiatives that will keep Cancer Immunology Research on its trajectory of growth. For much of 2021, the challenges of the previous year, brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued. We hope that you have stayed safe and healthy during these most difficult of times.2021 was also filled with many positives. The year showcased to the world the importance of scientific research and the incredible power of collaboration within the medical research ecosystem as millions of people received a vaccine to protect them from the worst effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This unprecedented effort meant that as 2021 progressed, many of us were able to begin shifting our lives back toward something resembling that before the pandemic, research is now continuing apace, and conferences and lab visits are being held in person. We are confident that this will continue in 2022 and that we will take the best adaptations to life during a pandemic with us into the postpandemic era.The rapid development of the two mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 was based on decades of research, much of which was conducted in the field of cancer immunology. This highlights the central importance of our rich and vibrant field, as well as its enormous potential for innovation. Cancer Immunology Research is at the epicenter of this fast-growing field. In 2021, the number of original research articles submitted to the Journal reached an all-time high, as did the Impact Factor. Although this Clarivate Analytics metric is an imperfect measure of journal quality, we are delighted that the Cancer Immunology Research Impact Factor is now 11.151, which ranks the Journal very highly among both primary immunology and primary oncology journals.The success of Cancer Immunology Research is the result of the hard work of many individuals, including those who serve as Deputy and Senior Editors and members of the Editorial Board. We also acknowledge the immense time and effort of all the reviewers who appraised manuscripts during the past year. The quality of the Journal can be attributed in large measure to the careful analysis, critique, and constructive recommendations they provided.Moving forward, our vision for Cancer Immunology Research is steadfast. We remain committed to strengthening its impact, widening its readership, and keeping it a definitive voice in the field. As such, we continue to work tirelessly to attract and publish the most innovative research across the spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical cancer immunology, as well as cutting-edge advances in cancer immunotherapy.In addition, we are bolstering our efforts to meet the educational goals of the Journal. In this regard, we are thrilled to introduce a new initiative stemming from a shared goal with our collaborator Cancer Research Institute (CRI) to disseminate knowledge of basic immunology and the interplay of cancer and the immune system to the many researchers and clinicians who are eager to learn more about these critical scientific disciplines. Beginning this month, we will be publishing review articles authored by some of the world-class researchers selected as recipients of grants given through the forward-looking CRI Lloyd J. Old STAR Program—Scientists TAking Risks. CRI embarked on this program in 2019 with the goal of providing mid-career scientists with long-term funding that would allow them the freedom and flexibility to pursue high-risk, high-reward research at the forefront of discovery and innovation in cancer immunotherapy. The program was named for CRI's founding scientific and medical director, Lloyd J. Old, who is considered by many as the “Father of Modern Tumor Immunology.”The prestigious CRI Lloyd J. Old STAR Program supports today's scientific visionaries—those who have the greatest potential to propel the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy forward. We will be publishing reviews by the program recipients under the heading “Rising Stars in Cancer Immunology.” These will be seminal articles by leaders in scientific thought and invention. The inaugural review is being published in this January 2022 issue of Cancer Immunology Research. Further reviews will appear regularly in the Journal in the future. Each piece will be accompanied by a brief profile of the researcher and their groundbreaking research project.The field of cancer immunology research continues to thrive. We remain dedicated to positioning Cancer Immunology Research both as a home for high-quality research papers in the field and as a platform for educating the broader cancer research community about cancer immunology. We welcome discussion about any potential manuscripts that you may be considering submitting to the Journal and any ideas you may have for change (e-mail us at cancerimmunolres@aacr.org). By working together, we can make Cancer Immunology Research the definitive resource for the field.