The Journal of Respiration—A Look to the Future

The launching of a new journal is always complicated for many factors, mainly when the journal has special focus. In addition, the launching of a journal can also be affected by other conditions that may play a role worldwide. As the Journal of Respiration turns the corner in its second year of existence, it is important to review what we have been able to accomplish in the last two/three years that as stated before, have been years of trouble and endurance for the entire world.

The Journal of Respiration stated its mission with the goal of timely and scholarly publications in topics related to the respiratory system. Those topics may be related to pure medical conditions, oncological issues, diagnostic imaging, as wells as different aspects on physiological alterations that are related to the respiratory system. However, it is also important to highlight that those goals were drawn at the time in which we were living relatively normal conditions. We were not aware that in the horizon an infectious process was lurking and that will affect all of us. Therefore, since the COVID pandemic started, we have seen how our research activities, medical practice, and other associated aspects of our lives have changed. In general, our lives until more recently are trying to return to what we have some three years ago. That in turn has affected our daily activities mainly those that are related to our research whether clinical or bench research, as there is no doubt that we have been impacted severely in every aspect of it—from the human to the more logistic aspect.

It is in this environment that JoR has carved a special niche in providing timely and accurate information in all aspects of the disease that related to the respiratory system. Evidently, we have been very cautious in publishing not only timely manuscripts but also manuscript that are scientifically accurate and promote scholarly information that can be of use in our clinical practice. However, such information at times has not been easily obtained simply because our functioning as it was before the pandemic has changed. Nevertheless, over the last two years JoR has published timely manuscripts some of them dealing specifically with the devasting effects of the COVID epidemic and its consequences. In addition, JoR has hosted numerous other manuscripts that deal with more conventional medical problems that represent a challenge in management and in diagnosis. Furthermore, JoR has maintained the strictest review process, at the same time giving the different authors the platform that they need for the timely publication of their manuscripts.

As our personal and professional lives slowly returned to more “normal” activities, JoR will continue providing authors the platform that they need to publish their own research and at the same time will maintain the highest standards to ensure that every manuscript is scholarly sound and properly peer reviewed. It is our strongest belief that as we move towards more normal times, JoR will gain strength and will become the journal to host and publish topics related to the respiratory system. Our accomplishments over the last two years loudly speak in our favor of such an assessment. We do have an excellent Editorial Board who is committed to uphold the highest standards in publication and we have an excellent support from our publisher to continue and improved all that over the last years has been carry on. In addition, the experience that we have gained over the last two years is helping us in improving some logistical aspects that may play a role in our daily function. Nevertheless, it is with the spirit of achievements that we see the coming year 2023, as a year in which JoR will cement its reputation as the journal to publish. Our editorial board and publisher are providing us with the needed platform that in turn is being shared with all the authors that so far has made of JoR their home.

As the Editor in Chief, to all the authors that have contributed their research to our journal, all I can say is that I appreciated your giving us the opportunity to publish your manuscripts. For those who have important research activities and want to share it with an extensive readership, we can only ask you to trust us and give JoR the opportunity to publish your important material.

From all of us at JoR, we wish everyone of you a very healthy and happy 2023.