The Journal of Biomechanical Engineering reports the results of original research involving the application of mechanical engineering knowledge, skills, and principles to the analysis, design, development, and function of native and engineered biological systems across all dimensional scales. Subject areas include: native and artificial organs, prostheses, bioinstrumentation and measurements, bioheat transfer, biomaterials, tissue biomechanics, bioprocess engineering, cellular and biomolecular mechanics, design and control of biological and physiological systems. The journal presents full length original research articles, technical briefs, announcements, calls for papers, calendar of events, and letters to the Editor.
Along with the Associate editors and the BED, I have a mission to make JBME a premier biomedical engineering journal. For this year, several changes are in the works, including cover art. More importantly, in collaboration with the New Directions and the Executive Committees, I submitted a letter outlining changes needed to allow JBME to become internationally competitive and designated a one-year timeframe for implementation. This letter was well received by ASME and I have already engaged in discussions with Phillip DiVietro, Managing Director, ASME Publishing, to make these very necessary changes to the journal publication procedures. Immediate changes include:
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1. JBME, which is currently published bi-monthly, will begin monthly publication beginning with the January 2009 issue.
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2. The annual page budget, currently at 1,100 published pages, will be increased immediately to 1,500 published pages.
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3. ASME has approved the journal revenue sharing funds to support the publication of Special Issues, which will be published above and beyond the monthly issues. This will allow us to publish high-impact special issues without interfering with normal issue publication.
Changes planned to be implemented include:
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1. Modify the ASME Journal Production process so that once a manuscript is accepted, it will be sent immediately to production and the proof generated. Once the corrected proof is returned by the authors, it will be placed immediately on-line for public access and the citation submitted to MEDLINE. The on-line version will be swapped with the actual published version once the assigned issue is published.
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2. Establishment of a “Legacy” JBME paper award for high-impact papers published a minimum of five years ago. It was proposed that this award be named after a major figure in Biomechanics.
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3. Building an endowment for JBME's Skalak best paper award.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that I am appointing several new Associate Editors to start in January 2009 to help ease the load and improve review times. Announcement of the new Associate Editors will be made once the ASME Publications Committee has approved them. I look forward to reporting more good news in the very near future.
