Meet the Editors | Interview with Prof. Dr. Sampath Parthasarathy: Editor-in-Chief of Healthcare

We have sadly learnt of the sudden passing of Prof. Parthasarathy in December 2020. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends. This interview was held in November 2020.

Prof. Sampath Parthasarathy, Editor-in-Chief of the Healthcare journal, was Professor of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at Florida Hospital. Prof. Parthasarathy received his doctorate in 1975 and later undertook post-doctoral research at Duke University and the University of Minnesota. He served as Klassen President of cardiothoracic surgery at Ohio State University in November 2011. In addition to Ohio State University, he has taught at the University of California San Diego, Emory University, and Louisiana State University.

Prof. Sampath Parthasarathy’s research activities were focused on the fundamental mechanisms of the development of atherosclerosis and heart failure. Specifically, he is interested in studying the role of oxidative stress in the development of cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors, including Type 2 diabetes. In addition, he is interested in both the prevention and cure of cardiovascular diseases using nutritional, pharmacological, and lifestyle modulations.

Part I—Regarding the journal Healthcare:

1. What appealed to you about the journal Healthcare that made you want to take the role as its Editor-in-Chief?

Prof. Parthasarathy: As an academic medical researcher, I felt that I was disconnected from healthcare. It was important for me to see how research discoveries translate into patient care and how researchers could contribute to healthcare beyond being a bench scientist. I noticed the problem that a biochemist is labeled as a biochemist and a microbiologist as a microbiologist with very little interaction with actual clinical or healthcare professionals. I felt that the position would give me an opportunity to bring statisticians, population scientists, epidemiologists, medical students and researchers, nurses, and many others into a common theme of healthcare.

2. You have been working in Healthcare for five years. What impressed you most about this journal?

Prof. Parthasarathy: There are several points:

I realized that the journal goes beyond one particular topic or discipline. It encompasses anything even remotely connected to healthcare. That has been missing in most journals, which are highly specialized.
Healthcare journal provides opportunities to medical and allied health professionals, from any part of the world, to submit scholarly manuscripts and not just narrowed down to region-specific topics. Also, Healthcare topics are current.
Healthcare recognizes that countries have their own healthcare problems and solutions. A universal across the globe treatment of healthcare is unlikely to work. Healthcare provides opportunities for medical researchers from every part of the world to promote their science.
High quality peer review. The no compromise approach has served well. And very timely and fast reviews and decisions.
As the Editor-in-Chief I enjoy enormous freedom in making editorial decisions, based on just the manuscripts and peer review reports from proven experts in the field.

3. Especially in 2020, the world is experiencing COVID-19 pandemic. Do you think your work has been affected by COVID-19？

Prof. Parthasarathy: My work is affected much less than that of many of my peers. While it limits my interaction with my coworkers, there is a silver cloud. It has taught us the value of telecommuting and perhaps the technology might come with greater innovations for working from home.

4. What is your vision for the future of this journal?

Prof. Parthasarathy: My vision is to promote the Journal as a pioneer and visionary in providing the latest healthcare information. I would like to see the members of the Editorial Board and the Associate Editors write scholarly reviews of topics that are covered by Healthcare. My vision is to encourage authors to provide future policy guidelines in whatever topics that they are covering and not to treat their manuscripts as just another paper to be filed and collected. When Healthcare makes statements that can be turned into policy recommendations healthcare professionals would pay attention.

Part II—Regarding the research field:

1. Could you give us a brief overview or background about your field, the research you have conducted?

Prof. Parthasarathy: I started as a basic biochemist. Migrated into a microbiologist, a researcher in gastroenterology, endocrinology and metabolism, gynecology and obstetrics, and cardiovascular sciences. My major focus has been on lipids, lipoproteins, atherosclerosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, antioxidants, diabetes, and reproductive endocrinology. Later, as the Associate Dean for Research, I became interested and involved in population sciences and data science. I was a co-discoverer of a concept that suggested that oxidized LDL is causatively involved in atherosclerosis. This work put my research on the forefronts of cardiology around the world. I published over 300 articles on various topics in highly recognized journals. I have been on committees that set guidelines for human and animal research at various institutions. I have a PhD and a[n] MBA degree and just completed a Diploma course in Psychology. I feel continued education is very important for all scientists across the discipline.

2. As an expert in cardiovascular research, what are the latest developments in the field of cardiovascular disease？

Prof. Parthasarathy: Primary prevention is very important. Along with the latest surgical breakthroughs and cholesterol lowering technologies, prevention of the disease is essential. I just published a paper on primary prevention of atherosclerosis by nutritional ingredients, a simple process that many at home could adapt to. Control of inflammation to achieve primary prevention is the current standard.

3. Why is this research important?

Prof. Parthasarathy: It puts health in the hands of the individual. It is cost effective and affordable. It is oriented towards individuals’ needs and could be adapted to any country, region, or age.

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to health care researchers in the coming years?

Prof. Parthasarathy: Any future research should be multidisciplinary and the current concept of compartmentalization of science would not work. Inflammation, its origin, reason, how it affects various organs, its pathology, detection, [and] how it is tied to immune response would be hot topics.