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, Italy, 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 bone marrow failure, Graft-versus-Host-Disease (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 secretary, then Chairperson of the Aplastic Anemia Working Party and then as President from 1998 to 2002. He served as President of the Italian Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GITMO) from 2002 to 2005. 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). Dr Bacigalupo has published over 500 articles in peer-reviewed journals and he is a member of several national and international hematology societies. He 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. Jed B. GorlinJed B. GorlinA leading authority in transfusion medicine, Dr Jed Gorlin oversees Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Training and Education, and Physician Services at Memorial Blood Centers/Innovative Blood Resources, USA. He provides medical education and transfusion support to hospital partners, and carries the organization's mission and expertise to national and international blood centers, as well as prospective hospital and laboratory clients. He has served on the boards of the AABB and National Blood Foundation, is Director of Transfusion Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, USA, and consults with the Minnesota Department of Health. Dr Gorlin has been a consultant to AABB-PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) projects in Rwanda and Tanzania. He has presented on transfusion preparedness and infectious disease screening at many blood centers in China. He has provided technical assistance for transfusion medicine projects in Kabul, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. He is a technical consultant for transfusion response to obstetric hemorrhage to several groups working to reduce the frequency of maternal mortality including, the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). The AWHONN has a project funded by Merck for mothers, which has pilot projects to reduce maternal mortality from hemorrhage in New Jersey, Georgia and Washington, DC. Prior to joining Memorial Blood Centers in 1997, Dr Gorlin was acting medical director for transfusion services at Children's Hospital in Boston, USA, and for nearly 10 years held various positions at Children's Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA, a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, USA. Board certified in pediatrics, and blood banking and transfusion medicine, he received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, USA, a doctor of medicine degree from Yale University, USA, and a M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business, USA.