Chief editor's report

Journal of Medical & VeterinaryMycology 1997, 35, 77 Accepted 18 February 1997 Chief Editor's Report © 1997 ISHAM comparing clinical and basic research contributions, determining the prize amount under the guidance of the ISHAM Council, while being sensitive to other prizes given elsewhere, and determining the distribution of the prize among multiple authors. Each year the JMVM returns to the ISHAM a modest profit. This money could be put towards the two prizes. Another option, which is more ideal, involves industrial support as educational grants that are named prizes reflecting the sponsors. Named prizes would foster closer interactions between our society and industry. The second step involves renaming our journal Medical Mycology. Owing to a drop in funds used to support the scientific infrastructure, many libraries and individuals must make difficult decisions regarding which journals to maintain. Because the name of a journal conveys so much information regarding its content and quality, the name for our Journal must reflect these qualities. Some contemporary examples include Cell, Infection and Immunity and Science. With respect to the name Journal of Medical and Veterinary Mycology, the title is too complex as it conveys different meanings rather than a single one. For example, the use of the word veterinary causes some medical libraries to consider the JMVM as a journal that belongs in a school of veterinary medicine library. The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology reflects our membership, whereas the journal name Medical Mycology appropriately reflects our scholarly contributions. In addition, the name Medical Mycology positions our journal more ideally for the electronic management of information. Michael R. McGinnis As we rapidly approach the 21st century, many exciting and stimulating opportunities lie before the Journal of Medical and Veterinary Mycology (JMVM). During the past 3 years, many significant changes have occurred in our Journal that have enhanced its effectiveness in meeting the needs of the medical mycology community. There has been an increase of 18% in the number of manuscripts submitted for publication this past year. Likewise, the quality of the contributions has clearly improved. As this continues, the JMVM will serve as the journal of choice for the publication of scholarly contributions pertaining to medically important fungi and the infections that they cause. Our goal for the J M V M is to publish monthly issues that rapidly disseminate knowledge to the scientific community. Two important steps are necessary to achieve this goal. The first one is the establishment of two prizes consisting of approximately US$5000 each and a plaque for the two most outstanding original scholarly contributions published each volume year in the JMVM. These prizes should be awarded to young investigators to enhance their continued scholarly productivity, and will encourage the submission of each person's best work, increase subscriptions to the JMVM, increase the ISHAM membership and provide a way in which our society can invest in our most important resource, our members. To eliminate concerns of bias in the award selections process, a review panel should be selected by the ISHAM Council that is independent of the editorial board and editors. As with competitive grant proposals, the criteria for evaluating publications in the JMVM must be developed, along with the award selection process. Such a panel would have to address concerns like evaluating and  (...truncated)