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 field of pediatrics is 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. In addition to this, Henry H. Bernstein also invites a prominent authority in the field of Office Pediatrics to write on the subject for each issue. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS H. Scott BaldwinH. Scott BaldwinDr Baldwin is the Katrina Overall Chair in Pediatrics and Professor of Pediatrics and Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt, USA. He serves as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and Co-Director of the Pediatric Heart Institute at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, USA. Dr Baldwin received his MD from the University of Virginia, USA, did his pediatric residency and chief residency at the University of Rochester, USA, and completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at the University of Iowa, USA. He then joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA, where he served as Co-Director of Cardiovascular Research before moving to Vanderbilt assuming the role of Vice-Chair of Pediatrics for Laboratory Based Research prior to becoming the Chief of Pediatric Cardiology. Dr Baldwin's interests concentrate on understanding the molecular and genetic etiology of congenital heart diseases. Studies in the laboratory are based on the hypothesis that the developing vasculature provides important patterning information that directs subsequent cardiac and pulmonary morphogenetic events and thus understanding the molecular basis of endothelial heterogeneity is essential in defining the mechanisms and treatment of congenital cardiac disease. His laboratory has developed strategies for endocardial specific gene deletion to allow temporal and spatial gene manipulation throughout the vascular system. He is currently involved in several interdisciplinary collaborations to determine if knowledge about normal valve development can be used to guide development of tissue engineered heart valves for use in the pediatric population. Dr Baldwin is a fellow of the American Heart Association, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a member of the Academic Pediatric Society. He currently serves on the AHA Council of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Young as well as a member of the national AHA Research Oversight Committee. He is also Chair of the Scientific Board for the Sarnoff Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing medical students with an in-depth cardiovascular focused research experience by supporting a one to two year hiatus from medical school to participate in a basic laboratory investigation and he is the principle investigator of an NIH/NHLBI training grant specifically focused on development of both MD and PhD training in disease processes relevant to congenital and acquired heart disease. Robert WyllieRobert WyllieDr Robert Wyllie is the Chief Medical Operations Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, USA, and Vice Chair of the Office of Professional Staff Affairs. Dr Wyllie is a member of the Cleveland Clinic Board of Governors, other offices held include President of the Staff and member of the Board of Trustees. Dr Wyllie was the initial holder of the Calabrese Chair of Pediatrics and served as the Chairman of the Pediatric Institute, and Physician and Phrygian-In-Chief of the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital from 2006 to 2011. Dr Wyllie is a Professor in the Lerner College of Medicine, USA, and has participated in more than 250 presentations at scientific meetings, written over 150 manuscripts and chapters, and edits one of the major textbooks in pediatric gastroenterology, now in its fourth edition. Together with his wife, Dr Elaine Wyllie, Director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Pediatric Neurology, he raised two sons who are pursuing their own careers in science and technology.