We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Gel Chemistry and Physics” in Gels (ISSN: 2310-2861, IF: 4.432).

Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari is a tenured full professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of South Carolina. He directs the Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, and Drug Delivery Laboratory to understand the role of stem cells in tissue maintenance and disease progression by creating 3D multi-cellular soft tissue models and organoids. He received the Berton Rahn Award from AO Foundation, the Stephen Milam Award from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation for his research, and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). He has authored more than 130 refereed journal articles and he serves as the Academic Editor for PLOS One and Associate Editor for Gels.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari, who shared his vision for the Section with us as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?
As I have been conducting research on hydrogels and their application in medicine and pharmacy for the past two decades, the subject of gels, especially their chemistry and physics, is very special to me. The openness of Gels to understanding the chemistry and physics of gels at their fundamental level as well as the applied and product development level appeals to me. The fact that the Section is open to all researchers around the world also appeals to me. The fact that submissions to the Section are reviewed based on the quality of research, not on research results, novelty, or reputation of researchers, is also very important to me.

2. What is your vision for the Section?
My vision for this Section is for it to serve as a platform for researchers around the world for presentation and discussion of the latest advances in chemistry, structure, physics, biology, mathematical modeling and simulation, to all researchers around the world for the purpose of improving people’s quality of life through education and the development of novel gel-based products.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like, in your view?
Gels play a major role in the development of sustainable, biodegradable, environmentally friendly materials to fight global warming as well as other global challenges. There is a need for a greater understanding of the chemistry and physics of self-assembly and structure formation in gels at all scales from molecular to nano-, meso-, micro- and macroscale to design novel gels that meet these challenges.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Today’s challenges are not local; they are global. As such, it is important for the message of science to reach all people around the world. Open access allows all people to participate in finding solutions to global challenges.

5. Who should contribute to this Section?
Any researcher who has uncovered, discovered, or observed new and interesting information/phenomena about chemistry, physics, biology, and structure of gels.