[For Members] News from JNS

From the Desk of the Outgoing Editor-in-Chief of
Neuroscience Research

Neuroscience Research (NSR), founded in 1984 by Dr. Masao Ito as the official journal of the Japan Neuroscience Society (JNS), has contributed immensely to the international neuroscience community as a dynamic forum for the rapid exchange of knowledge regarding interesting discoveries and constructive discussions. It has been a great honor to serve as the Editor-in-Chief at NSR over two terms since January 2017. I must confess that this position has been associated with a huge responsibility. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to JNS members for the excellent papers submitted and for their efforts as reviewers. A large part of my role in facilitating the smooth functioning of the journal and its excellent academic value owes to your contributions. Thank you very much for your support.
Over the past 6 years, NSR has solicited contributions, including review articles that delve into cutting-edge areas from distinguished award-winning scientists and young researchers pursuing original research. The number of Special Issues published by NSR has increased to three per year; leading neuroscientists have served as Guest Editors and discussed important topics through multifaceted approaches. Notably, NSR has contributed to the international outreach of large research projects in Japan through publication of four Special Issues, in which Project Leaders at the MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas were invited as Guest Editors and highlighted the achievements of their groups. Implementation of these initiatives has led to an approximately 1.5-fold increase in the number of submissions to NSR over the past 6 years, and various journal quality indices including the impact factor, have shown an upward trend. In 2021, following sponsorship from Elsevier, we established the NSR Paper Award to recognize outstanding original papers. This award applauds the achievements of young researchers, and I hope that you will continue to consider NSR a useful platform for your scientific findings. I invite researchers with their own laboratories to consider NSR for publication of your research papers.
The NSR Editorial Office has been engaged in a variety of outreach activities both in Japan and abroad to improve the visibility of this journal. However, a further increase in the number of citations of articles published in NSR is essential to raise its standards as a scientific journal. As NSR publishes articles submitted by JNS members, research presented at the JNS Annual Meetings and other events can be found in the journal. I would be grateful if you search for the latest articles in monthly updates in the ‘Table of Contents’ or in the “Articles in press” section of the NSR website and actively cite NSR papers relevant to your research. I would appreciate your cooperation to further improve the journal’s value.
Country-based analysis of submissions to NSR showed a large number of submissions from Asia, including from Japan, compared with works of authors from the United States and Europe. I welcome the incoming Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Thomas McHugh who takes over this position at NSR in January 2023, and I am certain that the journal is in capable hands as Dr. McHugh builds on his connections with the neuroscience community across the United States and Europe. I am confident that Dr. McHugh and his new editorial team comprising prominent neuroscientists, including many young members of the JNS will expand upon the work of the outgoing members to further internationalize the journal.
Finally, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the outgoing team members for their time, expertise, and relentless efforts that have been instrumental in NSR’s continued success.
Hiroyuki Kamiguchi
RIKEN Center for Brain Science
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