Introducing the FEBS Journal for 2005

Abstract

Welcome to the first issue of the new FEBS Journal. From 1 January 2005 this is the new title for the European Journal of Biochemistry. The change of name is not simply cosmetic; it is being accompanied by other important changes that take account of the ways in which the life sciences, and the ways we study and report them, have undergone major differences in recent years. The European Journal of Biochemistry has a long and distinguished history. It first appeared in 1967 as the new title of another distinguished journal, the Biochemische Zeitschrift, which had played a major part in the earliest days of the then new subject of biochemistry. EJB, as it rapidly became known, is owned by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies, FEBS, a not-for-profit organization that has just celebrated its own 40th birthday and also publishes the sister title to EJB, FEBS Letters. The international nature of FEBS and EJB can be judged from the fact that papers from authors in more than 60 different countries were published in the journal in 2004, and that well over a third of these came from outside Europe. Biochemistry has changed dramatically in the almost 40 years since 1967. It covers a multitude of topics, some of which were not even foreseen then, and the molecular approach now infuses most of the biological sciences. The old subject boundaries, such as they were, are dissolving and we live in exciting times scientifically. The growth and outward looking nature of this whole field of endeavour can be attributed in large part to the birth of biochemistry itself, the child of chemistry out of physiology a century or more ago, and is something to be warmly welcomed. In keeping with this spirit of change and expanding horizons, FEBS and the Editorial Board of EJB have taken the decision to retitle EJB as the FEBS Journal from 1 January 2005. The journal will reflect the new broader aims and scope, not least in the areas of bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics, molecular cell biology and the molecular biology of disease, systems biology and nanoscience. At the same time, the FEBS Journal will retain the benefits to authors that have long been associated with EJB. Among these are: no page charges 25 free offprints and a free pdf file of the published paper a fully electronic submission and review system exceptionally fast publication, with full-length papers appearing in 3 months or even less if they require little revision free colour if judged to be essential by the Editors publication of the accepted paper online ahead of the printed copy the online journal available via Blackwell Publishing and HighWire; currently (http://www.blackwellsynergy.com) and (http://highwire.stanford.edu) In accordance with FEBS policy, all review articles published in the journal are made available free-of-charge online from the date of publication; and all regular articles in the journal are available free-of-charge one year after initial publication. The whole of the back-issues of EJB dating back to 1967 are being made available online as a service to the community. FEBS, as befits a not-for-profit organization, also makes the journal available either free or at substantially reduced cost in developing countries through its own direct action or by participation in schemes such as INASP, INTAS, AGORA and HINARI. FEBS is dedicated to the encouragement of younger scientists. In 2004 we introduced the annual FEBS Journal prize, offered for the best paper with a first author who is either a graduate student or young post-doctoral scientist no more than 3 years from the award of the PhD degree at the time of submission of the paper. The prize, of 10 000 euros, is a substantial one and intended to reward excellence and future promise. The first winner will be announced early in 2005. FEBS and the Editorial Board of EJB, together with our publishing partner, Blackwell Publishing, hope that you will find these changes as exciting as we do, and that you will wish to see your best research published in the FEBS Journal. We look forward to working together with you. For further details, as they are announced, please visit the new journal website (http://www.febsj.org).