Announcements

In this series, we interviewed the Editor-in-Chief of Pathogens (ISSN: 2076-0817), Prof. Dr. Lawrence S. Young, a highly respected publication in the field of infectious diseases. Our goal is to present a behind-the-scenes look at the journal and provide insights into the Editor-in-Chief's perspective on the publishing process.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Lawrence S. Young, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and Open Access publishing.

Can you share with us some information about your academic background and your current research focus?
I began my academic career at the University of Birmingham, UK, and later spent some time in the United States. Currently, I am working as an academic at the University of Warwick, UK, where my research focuses on tumor virology, cancer biology, HPV, immunotherapy, and gene therapy, with a particular emphasis on EBV.

What is your opinion of the papers published in Pathogens?
In my opinion, Pathogens serves the infectious disease community by publishing high-quality papers across a very broad spectrum of topics. We continue to focus on attracting more high-quality papers while maintaining a rigorous peer-review process. I have observed that authors from developing countries often face challenges in securing funding to cover the article processing charge (APC). As far as I know, the journal has already offered discounts to such authors to encourage them to submit high-quality papers to the journal.

What aspects of the journal do you think could be improved?
We need to continue our rigorous approach to peer-review by ensuring that we receive at least three review reports for each paper and by extending the number of reviewers when there are conflicting reports. We need to exploit advances in technology to ensure the probity of all submissions. It is important that we continue to publish review papers that appeal to non-specialists and broaden their horizons. Such papers will add value to the journal.

What are your expectations for Pathogens?
I am pleased to see that Pathogens has a large authorship and receives a significant number of submissions, as well as having a good impact factor. The review process is both timely and of high quality, and the journal does not have multiple review cycles, which is a problem with some other publications. However, I believe the journal could benefit from increased profile-raising and attracting more high-quality papers, particularly reviews from well-respected scientists. Maintaining and increasing Pathogens’ reputation and credibility are my top priorities. With internet technologies becoming increasingly popular, scholars will quickly identify journals and prioritize reliability and reputation over impact factor. Pathogens’ broad and multidisciplinary approach to infectious disease will continue to appeal to a wide variety of researchers and is useful in allowing researchers to learn from different fields.

What are your thoughts on Open Access publication?
Open Access publication is a growing trend that is supported by the UK government and many universities. It is crucial for academics who cannot afford journal subscriptions to have access to the latest research and to build on it.

We wish Prof. Dr. Lawrence S. Young every success in his current position as Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.