It was with great joy that I was able to share last month news of the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), the open access journal of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer published by Biomed Central – Springer Nature, having received its first impact factor of 8.374.
The impact factor is a critically important calculation
involving the number of citations published articles received during a two-year
timeline. Thus, this figure readily communicates to prospective authors the
relative reach and quality of research a publication possesses.
Even before the publication of its impact factor, awareness
of JITC had reached new heights in 2018, as submissions had already increased
by 65 percent over last year. We know our 8.374 impact factor is merely a
starting point from which JITC will grow in sync with the steady expansion of
research and translation in the field of immuno-oncology. The number of
submissions will multiply; the quality and breadth of research will increase;
JITC will become an even stronger open access, peer-reviewed online journal.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of JITC’s
Section Editors, Associate Editors and reviewers who generously give so much of
their time to ensure the journal publishes only the highest quality research in
the field of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology.
Lastly, please take a moment to remember and celebrate the
life and work of Harald von Boehmer who sadly passed away late last month. His
contributions to the understanding of the T cell receptor’s key role in T cell
development, differentiation, and central tolerance induction are part of the
foundations of our current understanding of tumor immunology.
With best regards,
Pedro J. Romero, MD
Editor-in-Chief, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer