Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Gastroenterology was launched in 1985. 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 gastroenterology is divided into 12 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 one of the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS David H. AlpersDavid H. AlpersDavid H. Alpers received his bachelor and medical degrees from Harvard University, was a medical house officer at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and a research fellow at NIH under Gordon Tomkins. After a fellowship in gastroenterology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and serving as a junior faculty member at Harvard Medical School, he served as chief of the GI Division at Washington University School of Medicine from 1969–1997. His laboratory research was focused on the regulation of protein synthesis in the GI tract, and on the biology of proteins unique to the GI mucosa, including especially intestinal alkaline phosphatase, gastric intrinsic factor, and the intrinsic factor-cobalamin receptor (cubilin). He has published over 220 peer reviewed scientific papers related to this work. Dr Alpers has had many editorial responsibilities, including associate editor of the J Clin Invest, editor of the Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol (1991–97), editorial board of the J Biol Chem (1998–2003), Editor of Small Intestine and Nutrition sections of Current Opinion in Gastroenterology (1997-present), and Associate Editor of the Am J Clin Nutr (2008-present). He is Associate Editor of the Textbook of Gastroenterology (5th edition), T. Yamada (editor-in-chief), and coauthor (with W Stenson, B Taylor, and DM Bier) of the Manual of Nutritional Therapeutics (5th edition). He served as director of the Undergraduate Teaching Project of the American Gastroenterological Association from 1985–2001, and was president of the AGA in 1990–91. He received the Julius Friedenwald medal of the AGA for lifetime contributions to the field of gastroenterology. Currently he serves as William B Kountz Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics and is Co-director for the Center for Human Nutrition and the Center for Clinical Research Unit at Washington University School of Medicine. William F. StensonWilliam F. StensonDr Stenson graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine and was a medical resident at Barnes Hospital in St Louis, USA. This was followed by a gastroenterology fellowship and laboratory training in immunology with Dr Charles Parker, both at Washington University. After training he joined the gastroenterology faculty at Washington University and has spent his entire career there. He is currently the Nicholas V Costrini Professor of Gastroenterology and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. His clinical interests have focused on inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and nutrition. His laboratory interests include intestinal inflammation and the epithelial response to injury. The role of prostaglandins in these processes has been a particular interest. He has published more than a hundred scientific articles. He is the co-author of the Manual of Nutritional Therapeutics which is now in its fifth edition. He is a member of the Digestive Disease Commission and was the chairman of the Gastrointestinal Mucosal Pathobiology Study Section for the NIH.