Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases was launched in 1988. 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 infectious diseases is divided into 11 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 Monica A. SlavinMonica A. SlavinDr Monica Slavin has been Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia since 2000. She is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, Australia and a Research Associate at the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research and Public Health, Australia. She received her medical degree from the University of Melbourne and after completing training in infectious diseases in Melbourne, worked for 3 years in the Program in Infectious Diseases at Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle, USA. She has been an infectious diseases physician since 1993 with a major interest in infections in the immunocompromised, especially patients with cancer and undergoing stem cell transplantation. Her current research focus is prevention and early treatment of invasive fungal infections in haematology patients. She has served on national steering committees for the development of antifungal and fever and neutropenia treatment guidelines and for the conduct of Australia-wide studies of the epidemiology of fungal infection. Simon L. CroftSimon L. CroftSimon Croft is Professor of Parasitology and Head of the Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. He trained as a parasitologist at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK, and, after post-doctoral periods in the laboratory researching anti-parasite drug mechanisms and in disease endemic countries working on the transmission of African trypanosomiasis, he moved to research on drug discovery and development. His expertise and knowledge on anti-parasitic and antimicrobial chemotherapy was developed while working for 5 years with the Wellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, UK in the 1980 s. Following his return to academia, Simon focused his research on the identification and evaluation of novel drugs and formulations for the treatment of leishmaniasis, malaria, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). This research included projects on miltefosine, AmBisome and topical paromomycin, all of which reached clinical trials for the treatment of leishmaniasis, and many others with academic and private sector partners. From 2004 to 2007 Simon was the first R & D Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva. Current research interests include drug – immune response interactions, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK PD) relationships in leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis and development of pharmaceutical formulations for parasitic diseases. Deenan PillayDeenan PillayFollowing a PhD in Biochemistry, Professor Pillay studied Medicine in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and undertook postgraduate training in medical virology at St Thomas's Hospital and Royal Free Hospital, London, UK, followed by an National Institute of Health (NIH) fellowship in the laboratory of Dr Doug Richman, University of California, San Diego, USA, where he developed an interest in HIV drug resistance. On his return to the UK, Professor Pillay took up the post of Consultant Medical Virologist, Birmingham Public Health Laboratory, UK, and in 1996 became Director of the National PHLS Reference Laboratory for antiviral drug resistance. Currently Deenan Pillay is Professor of Virology at University College London (UCL), UK, Head of the Research Department of Infection and Honorary Consultant Virologist at University College London Hospital (UCLH). He is Programme Director for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UCLH/UCL Biomedical Research Centre, UK and Programme Director for Infectious Diseases for UCL Partners. He is also a Senior Investigator for the NIHR. His research focuses on the biological and clinical implications of HIV drug resistance, and the molecular epidemiology of HIV. In addition, he works on international studies of HIV treatment rollout, and is Director of one of the five World Health Organization Specialist Reference Laboratories for HIV drug resistance.