World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology: Serving the international microbiology community for 25 years

Abstract

HistoryEdgar DaSilva, who died far too early in 2007 (Hoareau2008), was the Head of the Microbiology Service forUNESCO, Paris. He had headed up a worldwide organi-zation known as the MIRCEN network whose remit was todevelop applied microbiology and biotechnology through-out the developing world and, to this end, Edgar had cre-ated a number of laboratories in countries throughout theworld but particularly in Asia, Africa and South America.In 1984 Edgar began serious discussions with OxfordUniversity Press in the UK and, very happily, had the goodfortune to come into contact with Anthony Watkinson whoat that time was a senior editor with OUP. Edgar andAnthony felt that the time was now appropriate to launch ajournal that would reflect the activities of UNESCOthrough its MIRCEN network of laboratories. Thus in 1985was born the MIRCEN Journal of Applied Microbiologyand Biotechnology. The Editors in Chief who wereappointed to run the journal were Jacques Senez fromMarseille in France and Fred Skinner in the UK. TheEditors, in conjunction with Edgar, then compiled anEditorial Board that covered the entire range of microbi-ology and biotechnology and with the editorial boardmembers being drawn from many different countriesthroughout the world. The remit of the journal was toprovide an outlet for papers that described results of ori-ginal work being carried out on topics that were relevant tothe needs of the developing world. However, the journalwas not restricted to recording experimental work just fromthe developing world nor from the MIRCEN laboratories.It was quite clear that in the 1980s there was a considerablenumber of scientists who were seriously concerned aboutthe widening gap between the rich western countries andthe poorer countries of the developing world, so much sothat they themselves were developing ideas and initiativesthat would help bridge this gap. There seemed, therefore, tobe sufficient and exciting scientific work going on thatwould warrant the launch of this Journal. Oxford