Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Hematology was launched in 1994. It is part 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 hematology 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 Section Editors for this issue. Section Editors Andrea BacigalupoAndrea BacigalupoDr Bacigalupo is the Head of the Division of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplants at Ospedale San Martino, Genova, Italy. He graduated in 1973 from the Genova Medical School, and started an allogeneic transplant program in 1976. He has conducted several clinical trials in patients with aplastic anemia and in patients undergoing allogeneic transplants. His main interests are immune control of hematopoiesis, bone marrow failure, GvHD and related complications, and graft versus leukemia reactions. He has also been interested in cytomegalovirus and Epstein–Barr virus infections, looking at early diagnosis and prospective studies on prophylaxis and pre-emptive therapy. Dr Bacigalupo has served as a board member of the European Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) for several years, as EBMT Secretary, Chairperson of the Aplastic Anemia Working Party and then as President for the 1998–2002 term. He served as President of the Italian Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GITMO) for the 2002–2005 term. He has been a member of the Italian National Health Council for two terms (2000–2006). He has served on the Regimen Related Toxicity Working Group of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). He is a member of several national and international hematology societies and is Associate Editor of the journal Bone Marrow Transplantation and Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He serves on the Board of Haematologica and of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Dr Bacigalupo has published over 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Martin L. OlssonMartin L. OlssonDr Olsson is a Professor of Transfusion Medicine at Lund University, Lund, Sweden and has been a guest scientist at the Bristol Institute of Transfusion Science and a visiting Associate Professor/Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. He received his medical degree and Ph.D. at Lund University. His main clinical and research interests are in the molecular genetics of red cell surface markers with a special emphasis on carbohydrate histo-blood group systems and blood typing. His scientific contributions have focused on clarifying the correlation between red cell phenotypes and the underlying genetic polymorphisms, as well as glycosyltransferase function in different blood groups. He is also interested in pathogen-related aspects of blood group antigens and different mechanisms of protection against hemolysis, including exoglycosidase-treated red cells for ABO-universal transfusion. Dr Olsson serves as Associate Editor of Transfusion Medicine and is a member of the Editorial Board of Transfusion. His awards include the Jean Julliard Prize from the International Society of Blood Transfusion, the Race and Sanger Award from the British Blood Transfusion Society, the Fernström Prize at Lund University and the Hain Foundation Prize.