Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine was launched in 1995. 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 field of pulmonary medicine is divided into nine 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 and Editors for this issue. EDITORS IN CHIEF Robert BaughmanRobert BaughmanDr Robert Baughman is Professor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, USA. After completing undergraduate training at Yale University, USA, he received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, USA. He joined the Internal Medicine staff at the University of Cincinnati after completing both an internal medicine residency and fellowship training in pulmonary diseases at the University of Cincinnati. His major research interests include the treatment of sarcoidosis and bronchoalveolar lavage. Along side his long-time collaborator Dr Elyse Lower, he has developed several novel treatments for sarcoidosis, including methotrexate, thalidomide, leflunomide, and infliximab. Current studies include treatments for sarcoidosis associated fatigue and pulmonary hypertension due to sarcoidosis. Dr Baughman's publications include over 150 original papers and over 70 review articles and/or book chapters. He is on the editorial board of several journals, including American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Chest. He is co-Editor of the journal Sarcoidosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Vasculitis. In addition, Dr Baughman is the editor of books on sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, and ventilator associated pneumonia. Marjolein DrentMarjolein DrentDr Marjolein Drent is Professor of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Faculty of Heath, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, The Netherlands, and a Pulmonologist at the ILD Center of Excellence St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. Her oration was entitled ‘Breathtaking inspirations’. After she finished her training as a physical therapist, she received her medical degree from the Catholic University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. After completing her training as a pulmonologist she explored her interest in ILD. Dr Drent is the past President of WASOG (World Association of Sarcoidosis and other Granulomatous diseases; see www.wasog.org). She is Associate Editor of Sarcoidosis Vasculitis and Diffuse Lung Diseases. She is a co-Editor and guest Editor of several sarcoidosis issues of international journals. She is the Editor of ILD Care Today. She is a reviewer of many international journals. She has (co-) authored over 300 papers and book chapters. Furthermore, she is concerned with several educational assignments, organisation of postgraduate courses and congresses, guideline development, and clinical trials. She is the co-editor of several ILD related e-learning modules. Dr Drent is the founder and chair of the ILD Care Foundation (see www.ildcare.nl). She is an honorary member of the SBN (Dutch Sarcoidosis Society) and cofounder and a member of the advisory board of the Dutch Pulmonary Fibrosis Society. In November 2012 she was nominated for the World Sarcoidosis Person of the Year Award selected by patients of the Irish Sarcoidosis Support Network (ISarc). She is ambassador of CompassionforCare and member of the advisory board of the foundation smoke prevention youth. Since 2015 she has been Chair of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR: www.stopsarcoidosis.org) Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). SECTION EDITORS Nicola A. HananiaNicola A. HananiaNicola A. Hanania, MD, MS, is Associate Professor of Medicine at the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Director of the Asthma and COPD Clinical Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA. He completed his medical training at the University of Jordan, Jordan followed by a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. He subsequently completed a fellowship in critical care medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, where he later earned a master's degree in clinical investigation. As a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, Dr Hanania has served on the Board of Regents and as Chair of the Clinical Pulmonary Airways Networks and Council of Networks for this organization. He has been on the Board of Trustees of the Chest Foundation since 2012. In addition, he is a current member of the Health Policy Committee of the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He has served on several guideline and workshop panels including the ACP/ATS/ACCP/ERS Clinical Practice guidelines on COPD and the CTS/ACCP COPD exacerbations guidelines. Dr Hanania has received multiple awards including the ACCP's Distinguished Scholar in Respiratory Health, ACCP Humanitarian Award, Career Investigator Award (K23) from the NIH, Fulbright and Jaworski's Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching and Evaluation, and the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Department of Medicine at Baylor. Baylor also named him to the Academy of Distinguished Educators for 2003–2010. Dr Hanania is a Deputy Editor of Respiratory Medicine and is Associate Editor of Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine (Asthma Section) and Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Dr Hanania's research interests focus on the pharmacology and management of asthma and COPD. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, editorials and reviews on these topics. He is actively involved in clinical trials investigating novel treatments. He is Principal Investigator for the American Lung Association Airway Clinical Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator in several clinical trials in asthma and COPD. He has been invited and has lectured widely at local, regional, national and international meetings. Zuzana DiamantZuzana DiamantZuzana Diamant is a pulmonologist and clinical pharmacologist, is currently Guest Professor of Asthma & Allergy Research at Skane University in Lund, Sweden, and holds an affiliation at the Departments of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology and General Practice at University Medical Center of Groningen, The Netherlands. Dr Diamant acts as Research Director of Respiratory & Allergy at QPS-NL, Groningen, The Netherlands, where she has set up a phase I/II respiratory unit. Dr Diamant is currently EAACI Asthma Section Chair (2017–2019) and participates in several EAACI and ERS task forces and guidelines/position papers. Dr Diamant has worked for over 25 years within asthma and allergy research, with a focus on biomarkers, pathophysiological mechanisms and drug interventions in clinical trials. Furthermore, she serves on several scientific advisory boards, and is involved in teaching and supervising PhD students. She has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and serves as Associate Editor on three scientific journals.