Editors-in-Chief, Past and Present
The Journal of Immunology has consistently chronicled immunological discovery for over 100 years, remaining a constant for basic researchers and clinicians alike through world wars, economic depressions and recessions, and the evolution of the field. Through good times and bad, the editors-in-chief have striven to ensure that the journal lived up to the high ideals of the founders that the “problems of immunology will be discussed and promoted. The available field of investigation is very large and it is constantly expanding…The Journal of Immunology therefore will appeal not only to the specialists, but we believe that it will command the interest of all medical students and practitioners.” The ten men and one woman who have served as EIC largely reflect the AAI membership of their time, including basic, clinical, and veterinairy researchers in academic, industry, and government laboratories and non-profit institutes.
Arthur F. Coca, M.D.
Term: February 1916 – November 1948
Highlights:
February, 1916: First issue of The Journal of Immunology is published; joint venture by The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) and the New York Society for Serology and Hematology; edited by Arthur F. Coca
May 1, 1921 Volume 6, Number 3: First issue published solely by The American Association of Immunologists.
February, 1926 Volume 11, Number 2: Journal begins publishing monthly
December, 1935: Page limit of twenty printed pages introduced; additional pages paid for at author’s expense
January 1, 1936 Volume 30, Number 1: Coca is named the first “Editor-in-Chief”
March 24, 1937: First Editorial Board meeting held
January 1, 1943 Volume 46, Number 1: Journal title becomes The Journal of Immunology: Virus Research and Experimental Chemotherapy; Coca’s title changes to “Managing Editor”
Geoffrey Edsall, M.D.
Term: December 1948 – November 1954
Highlights:
December 1, 1948 Volume 60, Number 4 : Geoffrey Edsall becomes Managing Editor
September 1, 1949 Volume 63, Number 1 : Edsall's title changes to "Editor-in-Chief"
January 1, 1950 Volume 64, Number 1 : Journal title reverts to The Journal of Immunology
John Y. Sugg, Ph.D.
Term: October 1954 – June 1968
Highlights:
October 1, 1954 Volume 73, Number 4: John Y. Sugg becomes the third Editor-in-Chief
July 1, 1967 Volume 99, Number 1: New cover design is introduced
Harry M. Rose, M.D.
Term: July 1968 – June 1971
Highlights:
July 1, 1968 Volume 101, Number 1: Harry M. Rose becomes the fourth Editor-in-Chief
Highlights:
July 1, 1971 Volume 107, Number 1: Joseph D. Feldman becomes the fifth Editor-in-Chief; his 16 years as editor-in-chief is the second longest tenure in the position after Coca's nearly 32 years.
January 1, 1975 Volume 114, Number 1: Page sized is increased to 8.5”x11”; New cover design is introduced
January 1, 1986 Volume 136, Number 1: Publication frequency changes from 12 to 24 issues/year, 12 issues/volume
Ethan M. Shevach, M.D.
Term: July 1987 – June 1992
Highlights:
July 1, 1987 Volume 139, Number 1: Ethan M. Shevach becomes the sixth Editor-in-Chief; the five-year term for Editors-in-Chief begins
January 1, 1991 Volume 146, Number 1: Cover design is modified
1991: The Journal of Immunology celebrates its 75th Anniversary with special covers on several issues
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Click here for the full interview.
Peter E. Lipsky, M.D.
Term: July 1992 – June 1997
Highlights:
July 1, 1992 Volume 149, Number 1: Peter E. Lipsky becomes seventh Editor-in-Chief; agreement between the Clinical Immunology Society (CIS) and the AAI allows CIS to have a designated section in the journal
July 1, 1994 Volume 153, Number 1: New cover design is introduced
July 1, 1995 Volume 155, Number 1 : First Cutting Edge articles are published; Abstracts of articles and the full text of Cutting Edge articles are published online
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Frank W. Fitch, M.D., Ph.D.
Term: July 1997 – December 2002
Highlights:
July 1, 1997 Volume 159, Number 1: Frank W. Fitch becomes the eighth Editor-in-Chief; new cover design is introduced
January 1, 1998 Volume 160, Number 1: Full text of all articles are first published online
March 2002: Legacy articles from 1980–1997 are posted online
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Click here for the full interview.
Robert R. Rich, M.D.
Term: January 2003 – June 2008
Highlights:
January 1, 2003 Volume 170, Number 1: Robert R. Rich becomes the ninth Editor-in-Chief; new cover design is introduced; first In This Issue is published
June 15, 2003 Volume 170, Number 12: First Brief Review is published
May 2004: First online submission site launches
July 1, 2004 Volume 173, Number 1: First Pillars of Immunology commentary is published
October 1, 2004: Online-only manuscript submission begins
March 9, 2007: Legacy articles from 1916–1979 are posted online
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Click here for the full interview.
Jeremy M. Boss, Ph.D.
Term: January 2008 – June 2013
Highlights:
July 1, 2008 Volume 181, Number 1: Jeremy M. Boss becomes the tenth Editor-in-Chief; new cover design is introduced; first ImmunoCast is posted online
February 15, 2009 Volume 182, Number 4: Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are added to all articles
July 15, 2010 Volume 185 Number 2: First Translating Immunology article is published
March 29, 2011: AAI begins depositing accepted manuscripts to NIHMS on behalf of author
October 26, 2011: Mobile website launches (https://m.jimmunol.org)
August 1, 2012 Volume 189, Number 3: First issue containing an “Author Choice” article is published
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Pamela J. Fink, Ph.D.
Term: July 2013 – June 2018
Highlights:
July 1, 2013 Volume 191, Number 1: Pamela J. Fink becomes the first female Editor-in-Chief; new cover design is introduced
February 15, 2014 Volume 192, Number 4: Novel Immunological Methods section is introduced
March 1, 2014 Volume 192, Number 5: First Immunological Notes and Resources article is published
July 18, 2014: ImmunoCast interviews with Pillars commentary authors are introduced
February 4, 2015: Image forensics is introduced
October 15, 2015 Volume 195, Number 8: Cutting Edge manuscript length is increased
June 1, 2016 Volume 196, Number 11: First Systems Immunology articles are published
January 15, 2017 Volume 198, Number 2: First topical review issue “The Macro influence of The Microbiome” is published
January 15, 2018 Volume 200, Number 2: Second topical review issue “The Cancer Immunotherapy Revolution: Mechanistic Insights” is published
The JI Centennial Brief Oral History:
Click here for the full interview.
Eugene M. Oltz, Ph.D.
Term: July 2018 – current
Highlights:
July 1, 2018 Volume 201, Number 1: Eugene M. Oltz becomes the twelfth Editor-in-Chief; new cover design is introduced
January 15, 2019 Volume 202 Number 2: Third topical review issue “Immunity to Influenza: Closing in on a Moving Target” is published
February 2019: Mandatory key points are required for all accepted articles. Optional visual abstracts are offered to authors (online only)
February 2019: “Top Downloads” is launched. The journal promotes the most downloaded articles for 2018
November 1 2019 Volume 203 Number 9: “In This Issue” is renamed to “Top Reads”