Epilogue

Abstract

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as Editor-in-Chief of Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research. This is a unique journal in many respects. It is the official journal of two scientific societies. Established first as Pigment Cell Research under the auspices of the Federation of Pigment Cell Societies, later became Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research by welcoming Society for Melanoma Research to be equal partner. With this merger, the scope of manuscripts now published span the widest range of topics that include chemistry of melanin, vertebrate pigmentation, and pigmentary diseases to melanoma biology and clinical trials. I enjoyed the front row view of this expansive landscape and made every effort to make each issue reflect the scope of the journal.

I have many individuals to thank for making it a worthwhile journey. Foremost, the Associate Editors, who often shouldered equal burden, colleagues, who stepped up every time they were asked to review manuscripts, and the journal staff at Wiley, who supported the workflow. I will miss the opportunity and the privilege of being the first to glimpse research coming out from laboratories across the world. I will miss the opportunity to read the insightful reviews from researchers I hold in high esteem.

Six years ago, when I accepted to serve as Editor-in-Chief of this journal, there was some unspoken skepticism about the viability of the journal in its current form in the fast-changing landscape of journal publishing. As an optimist, I brushed aside such skepticism. Even after 6 years in the trenches, including the difficult period of COVID-19 pandemic, I remain optimistic about the future of this unique journal. There are and will be many challenges to overcome. A journal is only as good as the quality of manuscripts it receives and the peer reviews of those manuscripts. Therefore, it is my sincere hope that the members of the pigment cell and melanoma community, bound together by our interest in this fascinating entity we call “melanocyte”, choose this journal as their first choice to submit and publish their best work and be ready and willing to serve as reviewers. More than anything else, this will be a true test of the commitment of members of this community to the success of this journal. As a member of both pigment cell and melanoma societies, I commit to continue to do my part.