A trend worth following

Abstract

Trends in Cell Biology (TCB) fell under my charge from 1996–1999. Working as a journal editor really is a wonderful opportunity for anyone with a broad interest in biology and a constant desire to learn about new aspects of it. Ever since I moved into publishing, I have always felt extremely fortunate to be given the chance to read and hear about so much interesting science – and then have the job of helping to disseminate it to a worldwide audience.One of the best ways for any editor to keep up with new developments is to attend conferences, and I was pleased to find that all the Trends editors were strongly encouraged to do this. I needed no second bidding. Probably the most enjoyable aspect of the job was hearing about new research and meeting the scientists in the community that the journal serves. In turn, many of the people I met were interested in what my job as a Trends editor involved. In fact, I often thought it would be a good idea to produce a short list of answers to the most frequently asked questions, to hand out at appropriate moments. As this article is intended to give my impressions of being the TCB editor, it seems a good place to discuss a few of the questions I was asked.Students and postdocs were mostly interested in how I got the job in the first place, and what made me want to do it. The answer to the first part is short – I applied. I didn't have any special training, and very few journal editors do. My main motivations were my broad interest in many different areas of biology (a prerequisite for this type of position) and my preference for reading and writing about science rather than actually performing experiments. Moving to an editorial office was a huge change from being a postdoc. In a matter of weeks, I went from carrying out plasmid preps and spending long hours in the cold room to sending e-mails and reading all day, and trying to meet what seemed an endless stream of deadlines. I also moved from sunny southern California to Cambridge, UK, in February, which speaks volumes for my level of dedication to my new job!To my surprise, many people I spoke to assumed that each Trends journal was run by a small army of people each covering different areas and doing different jobs. In reality, the team was, and still is, tiny – an editor, an assistant or deputy editor, and administrators and production coordinators who are shared with other journals. I was amazed at how much everyone managed to achieve, and it was a pleasure to work with such dedicated colleagues. David Hatton, in particular, working in those days as my assistant editor, has contributed strongly to the ongoing success of TCB. Of course, the journal wouldn't exist without the authors who contribute articles and the scientists who work behind the scenes reviewing the manuscripts. I was (and still am, in my current job) incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to give thoughtful and constructive opinions on submitted articles. This was particularly true of the TCB editorial board, who shouldered all my e-mails and requests with the utmost grace and were often a tremendous help.This also seems a fitting place to reflect on good and bad moments during my time at TCB. Choosing the most embarrassing moment is easy – it was putting a picture of myself in one of the first issues I edited. I cringe every time I think about it now and have trouble opening the relevant issue in case I happen to see it. There are of course a number of other amusing incidents (at least some of which involve conference discos), but that particular one stands out for me. On a more positive note, I think the most long-lasting effect of my editorship will be having got TCB listed on Medline. Although it might not say much for current reading habits, in this day and age a journal basically does not exist if it is not on Medline, so this visibility was vital for the ongoing success of TCB. Other highlights were special projects such as producing the first GFP In Motion CD and the December 2000 Millennium issue – particularly for the opportunity they provided to work with many talented and motivated people both within the Trends team and outside it.Now, Carol Featherstone's baby has reached the ripe old age of 10. TCB recently underwent a successful makeover and is in good shape to move confidently into its adolescent years. Cell biology is an exciting field that is growing at a phenomenal rate, so the journal will have plenty to cover. I'm looking forward to its 20th birthday.