Covering Neuroscience

To meet the growing demand for publication of neuroscience research, the American Chemical Society will launch its newest journal, ACS Chemical Neuroscience, in January 2010. Craig W. Lindsley, an associate professor of pharmacology and chemistry and the director of medicinal chemistry for the drug discovery program at Vanderbilt University, will serve as editor-in-chief.

Lindsley comes to the journal with industrial and academic experience, "so he brings a unique perspective of what it takes to do neuroscience research in both sectors," says Evelyn Jabri, senior acquisitions editor and project leader for the launch of the new journal.

The peer-reviewed, online-only publication will cover research associated with the molecular basis of neurological function. Topics will include neurotransmitters and receptors; pharmaceuticals; neural development, plasticity, and degeneration; methods used in neurological research, including imaging; the biochemical basis for neurological diseases and methods to detect and treat them; sensory processing; neurotoxins; and bioengineering subjects such as smart prosthetics and other components that interact with the nervous system.

ACS Chemical Neuroscience will publish short features, invited commentaries, letters, articles, and reviews. Its online-only format will allow authors to present the full story of their work while utilizing the rich features and functionalities available on the Web.

Unlike some other neuroscience journals, the new ACS journal won't levy charges for publication or color figures, Lindsley says. This and other author benefits such as a rapid review and publication process will provide authors with a competitive edge in disseminating their scientific work, he adds.

Lindsley earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from California State University in 1992 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1996. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, Lindsley carried out medicinal chemistry research at Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly & Co., and Merck & Co. He joined the faculty at Vanderbilt in 2006. There, his research focuses on treatments for schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and other brain disorders.