A new section, “blood group genomics,” with a new associate editor

Abstract

A new section, "blood group genomics," with a new associate editor_ 2923 2528T he application of DNA analysis to blood group antigens started in the early 1990s. The first paper in this area appeared in TRANSFUSION in 1990, 1 a review on the cloning of ABH; several other reviews followed in 1991 2 and 1992. 3,4 The first research reports in this area were published in TRANSFU-SION in 1994, one on platelets (PLTs) 5 and one on red blood cells (RBCs). 6 From 2000 to 2005, about one-third of the papers submitted to the immunohematology section, and accepted for publication, were DNA based; in 2006 they represented 50% of the accepted papers in this section, and in 2007 they reached a peak, just exceeding serologic investigations (including a special supplement of TRANSFUSION devoted to DNA-based approaches). This supplement presented the content of a "Workshop on Molecular Methods in Immunohematology," sponsored by the FDA/CBER, OS/Office of Public Health, and the NHLBI. The workshop took place at the end of 2006. In a summary of the meeting by Garratty, entitled "Where are we, and where are we going, with DNA-based approaches in immunohematology? Is serology finished?" he concluded that serology is not finished, will be needed for many years, and will be a necessary partner for the rapidly increasing applications of DNA-based approaches. 7 Other authors have agreed. 8,9 At present (20088,9 At present ( -2010, the number of publications in the two main areas of immunohematology is almost equal. Almost 700 papers were submitted to TRANSFU-SION in 2009 and about the same in 2010. Approximately 10% of these were sent to the immunohematology section associate editor to process (select reviewers; suggest "accept," "revise," or "reject"; process revisions, make final decision). The immunohematology section deals with blood group antigens and antibodies (RBCs, WBCs, PLTs). It covers genetics, some structural aspects of the RBC membrane, serology, investigations at the DNA level, and some miscellaneous aspects of RBC, PLT, and WBC immunology. Approximately 60% of these papers were accepted for publication.Thus, it seems an appropriate time for TRANSFU-SION to make a separate section called "blood group genomics." This section will cover the molecular biology of RBCs, WBCs, and PLTs. We are fortunate to be able to announce that Dr Connie Westhoff (now at the New York Blood Center) has accepted our invitation to become a new associate editor who will handle this section. In addition to her DNA expertise, Connie is an expert serologist and will be an ideal person to also back up Dr Garratty in other aspects of immunohematology. We suspect that in the New Year you will be seeing some new requirements/ advice when submitting DNA-based papers to TRANSFU-SION! We both welcome Connie to her new position as associate editor of a new section in TRANSFUSION.