Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Pediatrics was launched in 1989. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The fields of pediatrics are divided into 18 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Nathaniel H. RobinNathaniel H. RobinDr Robin attended Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, USA, where he also completed a residency in pediatrics. He then proceeded to do a fellowship in genetics at The Children's Hospital Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania, USA. His first faculty position was in the Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, USA, in 1995. In 2003, Dr Robin joined the newly created Department of Genetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. Dr Robin is board certified in clinical genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics. His clinical practice is primarily as a general medical geneticist, with expertise in pediatric genetics, syndrome identification and genetic counseling. His areas of focused interest include craniofacial disorders, and the genetics of deafness. While maintaining an active clinical practice, Dr Robin has authored one book (Medical Genetics: Its Application to Speech, Hearing, and Craniofacial Disorders), 18 book chapters, over a dozen invited editorials and over 110 peer-review publications. His writings cover a wide range of topics in genetics and include descriptions and studies on a variety of genetic syndromes. He has published studies that have looked at genetics testing for deafness, and on ethical issues in genetic testing, including issues of confidentiality and duty to warn at risk relatives. Dr Robin's other role is as an educator. He is the Medical Genetics Residency Program Director, and is the President of the national Medical Genetics Residency Directors’ Group. He also supervises all the educational activities of the department with respect to the University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM) as well as all other UAB residency programs. Robert C. TaskerRobert C. TaskerRobert C. Tasker is Professor of Neurology and Anaesthesia (Pediatrics) at the Harvard Medical School, USA, and Chair of the Neurocritical Care Program at Boston Children's Hospital, USA. He is an expert in the field of pediatric neurocritical care and is a member of the Cerebrovascular Surgery and Interventions Center at Children's. His expertise is in clinical neuroscience, computational physiology, and translational research. Jordan S. OrangeJordan S. OrangeJordan S. Orange is the Ruben S. Carpentier Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University, USA and the Pediatrician in Chief at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York, USA. Prior to that he was a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, USA and Texas Children's Hospital, USA and Chief of Immunology Allergy and Rheumatology, Director of the Center for Human Immunobiology, Director of the Pediatrician Scientist Training and Development program, and Vice Chair for Research. Before that he was the Jeffrey Modell Endowed Chair of Immunology Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA. He is a graduate of Brown University, USA where he also completed the MD/PhD program, completed pediatric residency at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a clinical fellowship in Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology at Boston Children's Hospital, USA and a post-doctoral research fellowship at Harvard, USA in Molecular and Cellular biology. Jordan has held a number of elected academic service leadership positions including as the Chair of Basic and Clinical Immunology of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology and is currently the past President of the Clinical Immunology Society. He is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) and was elected into the American Society for Clinical Investigation as well as the American Pediatric Society. He was the recipient of the 2017 E. Mead Johnson Award from the SPR as well as the 2018 O’Donnell Prize in Medicine from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science. Jordan's research has focused on the fundamental cell biology of intercellular immune interactions and the immunological synapse, novel causes of immune diseases as well as mechanistic insights gained from primary immunodeficiency. He has participated in gene discovery efforts and has contributed to the identification and understanding of a number novel genetic immune diseases. Jordan's investigative work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, and he has and published over 250 manuscripts. Henry H. BernsteinHenry H. BernsteinDr Bernstein is a Professor of Pediatrics at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine in New York, USA. He taps into his extensive 32-year experience as a general pediatrician in private practice and in academia at urban, suburban, and rural children's hospitals to promote the health and wellbeing of children, their families, and their communities. His private, community-based primary care (generalist) experiences in combination with academic experiences have provided him with a value-added, translational science perspective, unique from many others in academia. This tacit knowledge enables him to fulfill a lifelong passion of communicating, educating, and translating science into clinical settings, educational venues, policy-making, and media interactions to advance the health of children. Research is consistently woven into the fabric of Dr Bernstein's clinical practice, which has served as a “laboratory” for his active studies. His research and quality improvement initiatives focus on issues important to Academic General Pediatrics and community-based practice, including immunizations, postpartum newborn discharge, childhood obesity, breastfeeding, health promotion, preventive health screening in primary care, technology, and medical education. His commitment, innovative spirit, and enthusiasm also encompass many facets of medical education along the continuum, from training and mentoring future physicians to fostering lifelong learning, to supporting the continuous professional development of practicing pediatricians. Hank is an ex-officio member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases (Red Book Committee), Associate Editor of Red Book Online, and AAP liaison to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Influenza Workgroup, spearheading both seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness and policy for children. In addition, he is Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of PediaLink, the AAP's online home for lifelong learning and chair of the interdisciplinary Bright Futures Health Promotion Workgroup, which has created a distinctive health promotion curriculum, videos, and a companion educational website (www.pediatricsinpractice.org). He regularly shares his knowledge and expertise by educating the public, writing for health information websites, and participating in media interviews on a variety of pediatric health care issues including immunization, diagnosis and treatment of common childhood infectious diseases and illnesses, and practical information for parents, teachers and caregivers. In the spirit of lifelong learning, Hank earned a masters in healthcare management at Harvard School of Public Health, USA, in 2013. He actively maintains his certification by the American Board of Pediatrics. He completed his residency training in pediatrics at St Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, USA, after earning his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Osteopathic Medicine, USA. Hank and his wife, Sophie, have been married for 36 years and are extremely proud of their 31-year-old daughter, Lauren, and 26-year-old son, David.