Announcements

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Robert V. (Rob) Stahelin has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Biomacromolecules: Lipids” in Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). 

Prof. Dr. Robert V. Stahelin is the Retter Professor of Pharmacy and a Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA. Since receiving his Ph.D. in Chemistry, in 2003, from at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 2003, he has specialized in biological membranes, sphingolipids signaling in cancers, and lipid-binding proteins. His current research is targeted at understanding how viral proteins interact with host cell lipids to hijack host cell membranes for the formation of the viral lipid envelope. The goals of his current research are to identify protein drug targets in the viral life cycle, understanding the structural and biophysical basis of viral assembly and budding, and understanding their biological mechanisms by which viruses alter host lipid metabolism. He has published more than 120 PubMed/SCIE-listed papers on lipids. 

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Robert V. Stahelin, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing: 

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

I have had the pleasure of reviewing articles for Biomolecules, as well as publishing three articles in the journal in recent years. I was excited for the opportunity to help improve the quality of submissions to the lipids section of this journal and ensure that cutting-edge lipid topics are sought after for future submissions. 

2. What motivated you to go into the field of lipids?

When I was an undergraduate researcher, I worked on a bacterial protein that could be inserted into lipid membranes. This was fascinating to me, and the more I learned about lipid membranes and how proteins are associated with lipid headgroups, the more enthusiastic I was about digging deeper into this field. My graduate work with Dr. Wonhwa Cho focused on the basis of lipid-protein interactions and I have been immersed in this field ever since. 

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The lipid research field continues to grow and expand into new areas. I expect to see more studies encompassing lipids in precision medicine, cancer biology, host-pathogen interactions, and lipid biophysical properties involved in cell signaling and the molecular basis of disease.  

4. Who will be your main readers? Who should contribute to the journal, and what can readers expect?

Our main readers will be those interested in the biochemical and biophysical properties of lipid molecules and how lipids are involved in health and disease. Readers can expect to find articles that have undergone rigorous peer review and those that present cutting-edge findings in a variety of fields related to lipids. Authors whose work encompasses important and high-quality findings on lipids from diverse scientific backgrounds should consider submitting their work. 

5. What do you think about the development of open access in the publishing field? How do you respond to open access skeptics?

I support open access and making articles accessible to anyone, as opposed to restricting access behind a paywall. One concern of open access, however, is that it usually costs the submitting author higher fees of publication. However, there are often alternative means to assist authors who may not be able to afford the publication cost of open access. 

We extend a warm welcome to Prof. Dr. Robert V. Stahelin as he starts his new role as the Section Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to him leading Biomolecules to achieve many more milestones. 

Biomolecules Editorial Office