With Gratitude to the CJASN Community

The Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) was first published only 11 years ago, yet CJASN and the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) are now the two most widely read nephrology journals. This is a testament to the foresight and wise decision of the American Society of Nephrology Councilors in 2004 to launch another society journal. As the second Editor-in-Chief for CJASN, I feel privileged to have been part of this effort.

I complete my 6-year term with the publication of this issue, and my gratitude to and admiration for the many talented and dedicated individuals who have helped CJASN grow and mature are immeasurable. The mission of CJASN is to inform and improve clinical practice, expand our understanding of physiology and disease, and educate our readers by publishing the highest quality peer-reviewed research and invited material. The rapid embrace of CJASN by our readers and their response to the innovative and relevant original and invited articles from around the world reflect the hard work and rigorous scientific insight of the extraordinary individuals who performed the behind the scenes work to publish outstanding material.

During our term, the CJASN Editorial Team handled >7500 submissions, allowing us to be highly selective and publish the best quality manuscripts. The success of the journal was achievable thanks to the expertise, diligence, and devotion of the entire CJASN team. By intention, the members of the CJASN Editorial Team are active clinical nephrologists and clinical investigators. I was especially fortunate to work with two exceptional Deputy Editors, Dr. Kirsten Johansen and Dr. Paul Palevsky, who shared their incomparable wisdom and provided valuable guidance to ensure that quality and relevance to our audience remained paramount. Kirsten’s substantial editorial experience and her critical and thoughtful reading improved the clarity and quality of each of the articles that we published. Paul developed numerous innovative and well received series and cultivated topnotch invited material, showing his commitment to education, scientific rigor, and clinical excellence. Kirsten’s and Paul’s substantial and meaningful positive effect is evident throughout every issue that we published.

The dedicated Associate Editors spent innumerable hours carefully reading original manuscripts, securing highly qualified reviewers, and thoughtfully providing their recommendations. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Michael Allon, Dr. Jeff Fink, Dr. Linda Fried, Dr. David Goldfarb, Dr. Mark Perazella, and Dr. Kathy Tuttle, who have served as Associate Editors for the past 6 years, and Dr. Donald Hricik, Dr. Mark Mitsnefes, Dr. Ann O’Hare, Dr. Vlado Perkovic, and Dr. Sus Waikar, who have served as Associate Editors for the past 3 years. We are indebted to Dr. Ronit Katz and Dr. Robert Short, who provided their insightful biostatistical input. The quality of the manuscripts published in CJASN is a testament to their knowledge, experience, and passion for science and excellence in clinical care.

The CJASN Editorial Team is made up of investigators, and therefore, we are keenly aware of what it is like to be a submitting author. We strived to ensure that the review process was constructive and timely. We are proud that the median time to first decision for manuscripts sent out for review is 1 month and that manuscripts are published online within 3–4 weeks of author approval of the final proof and in print within 4 months.

Over the past 6 years, a number of informative, influential, and highly regarded series have been published under the guidance of expert editors. I would like to give special thanks to Dr. Mitchell Rosner (Attending Rounds), Dr. Suzanne Watnick (Education), Dr. David Goldfarb (eJournal Club), Dr. Alvin (Woody) Moss (Ethics), Dr. Alan Kliger (Public Policy), Dr. Robert Provenzano and Dr. Jeffrey Hymes (Role of the Medical Director), Dr. Fadi Lakkis (Immunology), and Dr. Melanie Hoenig and Dr. Mark Zeidel (Renal Physiology). I also want to thank the editors of the recently launched series: Dr. Bryan Kestenbaum and Dr. Stephen Seliger (Evidence-Based Nephrology) and Dr. Carla Nestor and Dr. Ronald Falk (Glomerular Disease). Their contributions have enhanced the reading experience for the CJASN audience considerably.

We are indebted to the hundreds of devoted reviewers who provided constructive feedback on manuscripts, directly leading to improvement of the submitted material and often educating authors about new approaches and considerations. I am also deeply grateful to our dedicated Editorial Board members. CJASN has truly benefitted from the talents of so many superb professionals.

It has been a true pleasure working with Shari Leventhal, CJASN Managing Editor, whose strong management and interpersonal skills have tremendously enhanced all aspects of the journal. The members of the Editorial Team and our publishing staff are widely geographically dispersed, and we receive submissions from around the globe, yet CJASN operates seamlessly thanks to Shari, who keeps all of the parts working together and on schedule.

In addition, I want to thank the American Society of Nephrology Communications Committee for their support and complete editorial independence. Working with Karl Nath, the devoted Editor-in-Chief for JASN, has been a particular joy. I would also like to thank my family, particularly my wife Sharon, for their understanding while I worked nights, weekends, and holidays on CJASN.

The passion and engagement of the CJASN readership combined with the energy and dedication of its staff have made my tenure as Editor-in-Chief an exhilarating and enriching experience. I leave with the deep conviction that CJASN is improving the care that we provide to our patients and deepening our understanding of the causes and consequences of renal diseases, and the journal will continue to be at the vanguard of these efforts. CJASN will continue to flourish under the leadership of the new Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Raj Mehrotra. Raj and his outstanding Editorial Team will further raise the standards that make CJASN the must read journal for clinicians, investigators, and policymakers.

• Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology