We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Claudio Cerchione has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Hematology Reports (ISSN: 2038-8330).

Name: Prof. Dr. Claudio Cerchione
Affiliation: Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, 47014 Meldola, Italy
Interests: acute lymphoblastic leukemia; acute myeloid leukemia; myelodysplastic syndromes; multiple myeloma and MGUS; non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma
Homepage: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/claudio.cerchione/en

Prof. Dr. Claudio Cerchione works in the Hematology Unit of Instituto Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori “Dino Amadori” (IRST) IRCCS, where he is Head of the Myeloma Research Group in the Institution and in the Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Network of Romagna as well as Principal Investigator of many clinical trial company sponsors and non-company sponsors. He graduated in medicine with honors from the Medical School at the University Federico II of Naples, Italy (July 2008), with a final thesis on hematology. He started his collaboration in the Hematology Department, AOU Federico II, Naples, Italy, in 2006, where he completed his Fellowship with honors in July 2014 and his Ph.D. program in May 2017. During his Fellowship and Ph.D. studies, Prof. Dr. Cerchione studied hematological malignancies in detail; moreover, his main research topics are multiple myeloma and acute leukemias.

He has undertaken international research experiences at Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität, Bonn, Germany; at Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, collaborating in their clinical and research projects; and at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA, where he was nominated for International Ambassador of SOHO (Society of Hematologic Oncology). He is either an editor or reviewer for several highly cited international journals, member of several international societies, and co-founder and President of the Society of Hematologic Oncology Italy (SOHO Italy). In 2018/2019, he was nominated by the EHA as a winner of Clinical Research Training in Hematology, in which he now is a member of the faculty. He is author/co-author of more than one hundred papers in peer-reviewed, international journals.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Claudio Cerchione, who shared his vision for the journal with us as well as his views on the research area:

1. What do you think is the most appealing part regarding our journal and your role as its Editor-in-Chief?
It is a pleasure and honor to consolidate the collaboration that started many years ago and continued through nominating Hematology Reports as “SOHO Italy” official journal. The most appealing part has been the opening of the journal to recognized experts from the most important Hematology Divisions, with their state-of-the-art and consensus papers.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
To integrate recognized experts from the most important Hematology Divisions, together with collaboration with young researchers from all over the world—both are strongly contributing to the growth of the journal.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
In hematology, there is an important, ongoing revolution, with the switch from chemotherapy to immunotherapy and related novel agents and new targets. It will be important to focus on the novelties in malignant and non-malignant hematology, with the need to focus also on real-world studies, which are really important to validate into clinical, daily practice with results arising from clinical trials.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access is really important, particularly for young researchers and growing countries. The idea of reading the journal free of charge will help many researchers to update their knowledge even if they have, at this moment, no funding to invest. Moreover, it will also help to increase the rate of citations for the high-level papers that we are receiving this year.

5. How much time would you dedicate to this role?
I will dedicate as much time as I can, not only to managing activities but also to promoting this collaboration in the conferences where I speak or chair, because I strongly believe that Hematology Reports can become one of the most recognized journals in its field.

We wish Prof. Dr. Claudio Cerchione every success in his new position as Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to him leading Hematology Reports and helping the journal achieve many milestones.