We are pleased to announce that Dr. Bruce S. Seal has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Molecular Microbiology” in Current Issues in Molecular Biology (CIMB, ISSN: 1467-3045). We look forward to his contribution to the continued success of the journal.

Dr. Bruce S. Seal completed his undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Nevada-Reno, followed by completing his post-doctoral studies at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Zoological Society of San Diego. The bulk of Dr. Seal’s research was in the animal health programs of the Agricultural Research Service of USDA at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames IA and the containment facility for avian viral diseases in Athens GA. In 2004, Dr. Seal took the position of Research Leader for the Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit, joining the food safety research programs for ARS-USDA. Dr. Seal retired from the ARS-USDA in 2014 and now is an Associate and Honors College Faculty member in the Biology Program at the Oregon State University-Cascades campus in Bend, OR USA.

Dr. Seal has been an active molecular biologist for over thirty years and has published over 100 peer-reviewed works, numerous published proceedings as well as invited book chapters, all while directing the research of graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and international visiting scientists. Dr. Seal has made scientific presentations at more than 100 internationally recognized conferences and has presented over 80 internationally invited seminars at scientific institutions, as well as to commodity associates. Dr. Seal was also an adjunct graduate faculty member in the Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia and has served on grant proposal review panels for the USDA, the NSF, and the NIH along with providing reviews on an annual basis for other granting agencies internationally.

His scientific accomplishments have included basic research and diagnostics development for a variety of animal pathogens, including bovine herpesviruses, swine and feline caliciviruses, avian paramyxoviruses, metapneumoviruses and orthomyxoviruses. His ongoing research work includes genomics–proteomics analyses of food-borne bacterial pathogens and examining bacteriophage gene products, along with other alternative antimicrobials as potentials to combat bacterial disease.  Bacteriophages that infect the bacterium Clostridium perfringens have been characterized by full-genome sequencing and expression of the phage lytic proteins as alternative antimicrobials.  Discovery of potential probiotic, spore-forming and lactic acid bacteria from free-ranging animals is being conducted as part of ongoing undergraduate research at OSU Cascades.

The following is a short Q&A with Dr. Bruce S. Seal, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of 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?

The main feature of this journal is its interdisciplinarity coverage of molecular biology and the fact that it is open access. Also, it is important that the journal is indexed in the most accessed databases for biomedical and related research. Consequently, the journal will be able to publish results of research from a wide range of investigators in the field of molecular biology.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

There is a need to attract quality investigators who will publish the results of innovative research in molecular biology. It is also extremely important to attract qualified reviewers that are actively involved in research using cutting-edge approaches in the fields that encompass molecular biology. This will result in the acceptance of a wide range of articles that have passed a set of rigorous selection criteria.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The future of molecular biology is seemingly limitless with hopefully high impact on many positive outcomes for improving the human condition and the environment. Certainly, there are potential abuses of molecular biology techniques such as misuse of gain-of-function investigations for pathogens. However, we should focus on the positive potential applications in the fields of biomedical science for improving One Health approaches and improvement in agricultural techniques for a better future.

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?

It is an important avenue to learn about and disseminate the results of scientific research, specifically in the arena of molecular biology. Open Access also provides not only scientists involved in basic and applied research but also allows members of the lay community or other scientists that do not have access to extensive library collections to obtain information in a variety of disciplines.

5. What aspects do you focus on when reviewing a manuscript?

The novelty of the results and the techniques used in completion of an investigation. Also, potential impact on the corresponding scientific field is an important aspect of good research. It is also important to ensure that results reported have not been published elsewhere and the rationale for the proposed study is clearly stated in a manuscript. It is important that experimentation and other analyses are performed to a high technical standard and are described in sufficient detail so that others can repeat the investigations.

6. Do you have any suggestions for young researchers in this field?

Persistence. One must keep moving forward professionally even when facing situations that may seem difficult or overwhelming at the time.

We warmly welcome Dr. Bruce S. Seal as he starts his new role as Section Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to achieving many more milestones under his leadership.