Dear readers of the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology and ECI 2018 attendees

Abstract

The Scandinavian Journal of Immunology has established itself over the last 45 years as one of the leading journals in the immunology field, through the publication of high-quality original research papers and reviews reflecting the developments in our discipline. The total circulation of the journal is now over 15 000. Nearly 7 700 institutions in the developing world also enjoy free or very low rate paid access to Scandinavian Journal of Immunology through various philanthropic initiatives (INTAS, INASP, Research4Life [HINARI-WHO], AGORA). Since 2015, the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology is an online-only journal and 325 308 article downloads were noted in 2017. The journal's top users in 2017 reflect its international appeal and we are pleased that 1 280 researchers subscribe to our e-toc alert service, through which tables of contents are sent direct to their Inbox. All papers for Scandinavian Journal of Immunology are submitted and refereed online, which secures rapid reviewing. The journal operates a stringent peer review process, which is a key aspect of all scientific publishing. All referees are given feedback on the decisions made on the papers they have reviewed. The average handling time for a paper is 20 days from submission to first decision and 48 days from submission to final decision. In 2017, the author's final accepted version was made available online within an average of 5 days from receipt at the production office. Thus, articles from the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology are downloadable and citable faster than ever. There are no page charges or submission fees for authors publishing in the journal. Reviews are freely accessible and because all publication is online, colour reproduction is free. Author-funded open access is available for those whose funding bodies mandate publication in an open access journal. Members of immunological societies can receive the journal at the privileged rate of £30. This year, we have also seen a further increase in Scandinavian Journal of Immunology's impact factor—it has now reached 2.314—giving us confidence that the journal is moving in the right direction. I want to take this opportunity to thank the former Editor-in-Chief, Professor Roland Jonsson, his associated editors and editorial board and our journal administrator Kate Frøland, for all dedicated work. Because of them, the journal is in a very good shape to meet future challenges. Like many other journals, the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology must adapt to a changing publishing landscape. Electronic manuscript handling and printing have made it easier to launch new journals, and existing well-established journals expand their arena by creating chains of connected magazines to keep submissions “in the family”. Competition for high-quality immunology submissions therefore tightens, making it important for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology to adhere even more to its profile to keep its place among immunology journals. The Scandinavian Journal of Immunology has an established niche as the official journal of the Scandinavian Society for Immunology, and an important future goal is to increase submissions from Scandinavian researchers. However, we also receive many high-quality submissions from several countries outside Scandinavia, not the least from Asia, and maintaining and increasing a steady flow of manuscripts from these countries is another important task. As a new Editor-in-Chief for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, I am dedicated to follow the successful path laid out by my predecessor to maintain and develop the Journal to remain a leading player in its sector. A strategic plan for the coming 5 years has been decided and myself, my deputy Editors-in-Chief and my group of Associate Editors are convinced that working towards a number of specific goals with clear and measurable follow-up actions will further strengthen our journal. With published contributions from corresponding authors in 46 countries around the world, the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology is truly international in outlook. It is with great pleasure that we present the ECI2018 issue of the journal. It contains two discussion forum articles on the concept of immune tolerance,1, 2 two reviews3, 4 and four regular articles,5-8 which together reflect the scope and the international profile of the Journal. I hope that you will enjoy these papers and that you will continue to follow us and, above all, submit your future papers to the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.