Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine was launched in 1995. 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 pulmonary medicine 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 Journal's Editors and Section Editors for this issue. EDITORS IN CHIEF Robert BaughmanRobert BaughmanDr Robert Baughman is Professor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, USA. After completing undergraduate training at Yale University, USA, he received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, USA. He joined the Internal Medicine staff at the University of Cincinnati after completing both an internal medicine residency and fellowship training in pulmonary diseases at the University of Cincinnati. His major research interests include the treatment of sarcoidosis and bronchoalveolar lavage. Along with his long-time collaborator Dr Elyse Lower, he has developed several novel treatments for sarcoidosis, including methotrexate, thalidomide, leflunomide, and infliximab. Current studies include treatments for sarcoidosis associated fatigue and pulmonary hypertension due to sarcoidosis. Dr Baughman's publications include over 150 original papers and over 70 review articles and/or book chapters. He is on the editorial board of several journals, including American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Chest. He is co-Editor of the journal Sarcoidosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Vasculitis. In addition, Dr Baughman is the editor of books on sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, and ventilator associated pneumonia. Marjolein DrentMarjolein DrentDr Marjolein Drent is professor of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Faculty of Heath, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands and pulmonologist at the ILD Center of Excellence St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, Netherlands. Her oration was entitled: ‘Breathtaking inspirations’. After she finished her training as a physical therapist, she received her medical degree from the Catholic University of Nijmegen, Netherlands. Her major research interests include sarcoidosis, ILD, drug-induced ILD and quality of life related topics. She is a co-editor, member of the editorial board and guest editor of several international journals, as well as editor of ILD Care Today. She has (co-) authored over 300 papers and book chapters. She is the co-editor of several ILD related e-learning modules. She is president emeritus of WASOG (World Association of Sarcoidosis and other Granulomatous diseases). She is a member of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) Scientific Advisory Board. She is the founder and chair of the ILD Care (interstitial lung diseases including sarcoidosis and lung diseases related to occupation and environment management and research) Foundation. She is an honorary member of Sarcoidose.nl (Dutch Sarcoidosis Society) and co-founder and a member of the advisory board of the Dutch Pulmonary Fibrosis Society. In 2012 she was nominated for the World Sarcoidosis Person of the Year Award for her tireless research work in defining the psychological burden faced by patients and their families. Dublin, Ireland. She is ambassador for Compassion for Care and the youth smoking prevention foundation. She was appointed as an Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau by Royal Decree. This royal honour was awarded in 2016 by the deputy mayor of Ede, Netherlands. SECTION EDITORS Zuzana DiamantZuzana DiamantZuzana Diamant, MD PhD, is a pulmonologist and clinical pharmacologist, guest professor at the Dept of Microbiology Immunology & Transplantation, Ku Leuven, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and senior researcher and past guest-professor of Asthma and Allergy research at Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Sweden. She is also affiliated with the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University Medical Center of Groningen, Netherlands and Department of Respiratory Medicine at Thomayer Hospital, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Dr Diamant has ample experience in Clinical Drug Development within the Respiratory field both in academic settings and at several CRO's. Furthermore, she is actively involved in several initiatives within the following societies: American Thoracic Society (ATS), European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases (EUFOREA). She is also a member of several scientific programs committees and international task forces in her present role as EUFOREA asthma section chair and as past ExCom member and Asthma Section Chair at EAACI. Prof. Diamant has worked for over 28 years in Clinical and Translational Asthma and Allergy Research, with a focus on clinical asthma models, biomarkers and sampling methods and their applicability in disease pheno/endotyping, pathophysiologic mechanisms and targeted drug interventions. She has coauthored over 150 peer reviewed articles (original research, reviews, expert opinions, books) and is/has been involved as a member of the editorial board of 4 scientific journals in the field of respiratory medicine, allergy and pulmonary pharmacology. Nicola A. HananiaNicola A. HananiaNicola A. Hanania, MD, MS is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Director of the Asthma and COPD Clinical Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA. He completed his medical training at the University of Jordan, Jordan followed by a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. He subsequently completed a fellowship in critical care medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, where he later earned a master's degree in clinical investigation. As a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, Dr Hanania has served on the Board of Regents and as Chair of the Clinical Pulmonary, Airways Networks and Council of Networks for this organization. He has been on the Board of Trustees of the Chest Foundation since 2012. In addition, he is a current member of the Health Policy Committee of the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He has served on several guideline and workshop panels including the ACP/ATS/ACCP/ERS Clinical Practice guidelines on COPD and the CTS/ACCP COPD exacerbations guidelines. Dr Hanania has received multiple awards including the ACCP's Distinguished Scholar in Respiratory Health, ACCP Humanitarian Award, Career Investigator Award (K23) from the NIH, Fulbright and Jaworski's Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching and Evaluation, and the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Department of Medicine at Baylor. Baylor also named him to the Academy of Distinguished Educators for 2003–2010. Dr Hanania is a Deputy Editor of Respiratory Medicine and is Associate Editor of Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine (Asthma Section) and Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Dr Hanania's research interests focus on the pharmacology and management of asthma and COPD. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, editorials and reviews on these topics. He is actively involved in clinical trials investigating novel treatments. He is Principal Investigator for the American Lung Association Airway Clinical Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator in several clinical trials in asthma and COPD. He has been invited and has lectured widely at local, regional, national and international meetings.