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 Editors and Section 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 with 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. He is on the editorial board of multiple subspecialty journals, and his 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 and serves on the editorial board of several other journals, including Chest and American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. In addition, Dr Baughman is the editor of books on sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, and ventilator associated pneumonia. Marjolein DrentMarjolein DrentDr Marjolein Drent studied physical therapy at the Arnhem Academy of Physical Therapy, the Netherlands. She finished her medical study in 1988 at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. In 1993 she completed her thesis entitled: ‘Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage in interstitial lung diseases.’ After she finished her training as a pulmonologist she was appointed at the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), from 1994 to 2012. In December 2005 she was appointed as Professor of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD). Her oration was entitled: ‘Breathtaking inspirations…’ Currently, she is the manager of the ILD care team at Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede, the Netherlands. She is involved in clinical, biochemical and genetic research into inflammation focusing on ILD, including occupational and environmental related disorders, pharmacogenomics, translational medicine and e-health. Prevention became one of the main themes in her research. She collaborates with international ILD experts. She is the current President-Elect of the 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 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 clinical trials. She was a member of many scientific committees of national and international conferences, an invited speaker and a chair at these meetings. In 2011 she organized the second combined 10th WASOG Meeting and the 12th International Conference on BAL in Maastricht. She is the founder and chair of the ild care (interstitial lung diseases including sarcoidosis and lung diseases related to occupation and environment management and research) foundation (see www.ildcare.eu) She is an honorary member of the SBN (Dutch Sarcoidosis Society) and founder and a member of the advisory board of the Dutch Pulmonary Fibrosis Society. In 2007 she received the Novartis Pulmonology award because of her dedication to achieve improvement of the quality of life of patients. In January 2011 and 2012 she was selected as the leading physician by her colleague Dutch pulmonary doctors. In November 2012 she was nominated as ‘World Sarcoidosis Person of the Year Award’. This award is selected by patients of the Irish Sarcoidosis Support Network (ISarc) for her tireless research work in defining the psychological burden faced by patients and their families (Dublin, Ireland). SECTION EDITORS Nicola A. HananiaNicola A. HananiaDr Nicola A. Hanania received his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree and a Master of Science degree in internal medicine from the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. He then completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Jordan, followed by a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr Hanania then completed a research fellowship at the Asthma Center of the Toronto Hospital, followed by a fellowship in critical care medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA. He also received a Master of Science degree in clinical investigations from Baylor College of Medicine. He is certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine. Dr Hanania joined the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas in 1995 as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He is currently Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Asthma Clinical Research Center at BCM. He is also Director of the Asthma Adult Clinic and Pulmonary Diagnostic services at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas. Dr Hanania is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, as well as member of many professional societies, including the American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has served as Chair, Council of Networks of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and as a member of the executive committee and board of regents of ACCP and the National Asthma Education Certification Board (NAECB). Dr Hanania is the recipient of the Fulbright and Jaworski Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching and Evaluation, an Outstanding Teacher Award in the Department of Medicine, and an Attending of the Year Award in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Section at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr Hanania is principal investigator for the American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center and Center Director for the COPD gene study at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also principal investigator or co-investigator of several clinical trials in asthma and COPD. His research is funded by NIH, American Lung Association and industry. His research focus is on beta2-agonists and on novel therapies for asthma and COPD. He has published and edited numerous articles, book chapters, reviews and abstracts. Dr Hanania has been an invited to lecture or chair sessions at many local, national, and international meetings. Dr Hanania is currently deputy Editor of Respiratory Medicine and associate Editor of Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Medicine (TARD). In addition, he is an ad-hoc reviewer for several other journals including European Respiratory Medicine, Chest, Drugs, Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine. Zuzana DiamantZuzana DiamantZuzana Diamant is pulmonologist and clinical pharmacologist, currently affiliated as Guest Professor of Asthma & Allergy Research at the Institute for Clinical Science of the Skane University in Lund, Sweden. She is also associated as a senior scientist with the Department of General Practice at University Medical Center of Groningen, the Netherlands, and acts as Director of Respiratory & Allergy Research for QPS-Netherlands. In 1996, Dr Diamant acquired her PhD at Leiden University, the Netherlands (thesis: ‘Experimental interventions in leukotriene- and allergen-induced airway responses in asthma in vivo’). For over 20 years, Dr Diamant has been involved in setting up and the performance of clinical research in asthma and allergy focusing on pathophysiological mechanisms, biomarkers and inflammatory disease models. In the past 10 years, Dr Diamant set up several respiratory research units in close collaboration with academic centers of excellence and served both as research director and principle investigator in innovative drug development for respiratory diseases. Dr Diamant has an interest in identifying novel targets and biomarkers and investigating novel treatment modalities with a focus on asthma and allergy. Apart from her research activities, Dr Diamant is involved in several advisory boards on biomarkers, she teaches on clinical respiratory research and GCP, and she is an active member of an ATS/ERS task force on Bronchoprovocation testing (focus: inhaled allergen challege) and of a newly formed EAACI task force on Biomarkers & Outcomes. She has published over 90 articles in scientific journals and books, she also serves as an Associate Editor at Respiratory Medicine, Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics and European Clinical Respiratory Journal and is a member of several (inter)national professional societies.