The new Editorial Team of JHEP Reports: From successful inception towards an established reputation

The launch of JHEP Reports has been a clear success. JHEP Reports – the official open access journal of EASL – was created in 2018 and devoted to publishing papers on clinical and translational/basic research in hepatology. In 2022, it received its first impact factor, an astonishing 9.9. Over ∼800 manuscripts were received in 2022, which increased to ∼1,300 in 2023, built upon the quality of its articles and the allure of its impact factor. These remarkable results, achieved in such a short timeframe, can be attributed to: a) great vision and objectives; b) outstanding leadership by the first Editor-in-Chief, Jessica Zucman-Rossi, MD, PhD, her Editorial Team and the EASL Editorial Office; c) the capacity to attract well-cited articles and state-of-the-art reviews, even before its first impact factor was announced; and d) seamless integration and cooperation from the EASL Governing Board and the Editorial Team of Journal of Hepatology. Following this exceptional start, we now have a very lofty goal – and a huge opportunity – to further enhance the visibility and dissemination of liver science in our journal by publishing innovative studies, early clinical trials addressing unique challenges, and modern concepts in clinical and translational research that reflect both emerging and prominent themes. To tackle this task, we have assembled a highly talented, gender-balanced, age-sensitive Editorial Team (Fig. 1), encompassing expertise in the main areas of liver disease research and clinical practice. These domains of excellence include all facets of hepatology, from pathogenesis of hepatic diseases to advances in clinical, basic and translational research in liver tumors, viral hepatitis, liver transplantation and rare diseases, MASLD and alcoholic-related liver diseases, as well as cirrhosis and its complications. We will also address special topics such as statistics, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. In addition, we have appointed a completely new Editorial Board (Fig. 1), which includes both well-established members with a prestigious track record of publications and research achievements, and highly motivated emerging researchers who represent the next generation of hepatology experts. This strategic composition ensures a dynamic and inclusive approach to advancing the journal's standing and impact in the coming years. Our journal has emerged amid fierce competition among liver-oriented journals. Building upon our success among these publications, we intend to gain further traction and expand our visibility by seeking insights at the frontier of knowledge. Our team aims to capture novel ideas or technologies, attract early clinical trials and promote novel concepts not yet suitable for higher-end journals, particularly for those studies involving human specimens or with a compelling clinical path. In this spirit, we will be launching a unique series of articles tackling the management of liver diseases (including consensus documents and position papers), as well as the design of clinical trials. Furthermore, we will provide education in pioneering technologies for clinicians in topics such as gene editing, nanomedicine, digital health, spatial omics, artificial intelligence, organoids, and circulating biomarkers. To do so, we have already invited a roster of outstanding reviews authored by key opinion leaders. Similarly, JHEP Reports will be instrumental in providing a platform for the dissemination of high-quality research from EASL Young Investigators, including facets of career development and leadership. Finally, we will intensify our efforts to promote JHEP Reports beyond Europe, particularly in America and Asia, and advocate for the perspective of the patient. Teamwork will be critical for our success. Our Editorial Team will work closely with the EASL Editorial Office and continue to rely upon the invaluable support of the EASL Governing Board. With ∼1,500 submissions expected in 2024, we anticipate publishing ∼200 source items per year, including original articles, reviews, short communications and eventually EASL Consensus documents. Ultimately, our overarching goal is to serve the global hepatology community by providing an exciting platform to disseminate research, while attracting new readers and investigators who will move the field forward.