Preface
Over the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in the search for effective new drugs to treat immune, endocrine, and metabolic disorders. Major journals in the fields of immunology, endocrinology and metabolism, and medicinal chemistry have recently devoted full sections to studies encompassing the use of natural and synthetic molecules in clinical trials as well as treatment of animal models of disease. Emerging diseases of bacterial and viral origins, stress-related pathologies, and new insights into novel metabolic and endocrine pathways create intriguing challenges and exciting opportunities for scientists to develop new drugs. In this context, we are delighted and privileged to serve as Co-Editors-in-Chief for Bentham Science Publishers new journal “Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders” (CDT-IEMD). CDT-IEMD is a journal specifically devoted to publication of current review articles that are relevant to the development of new drugs and/or novel therapeutic regimens for the treatment of immune, endocrine and metabolic diseases. In particular, mechanisms of action of drugs, relevant signal transduction pathways, host effects, and gene therapy are included within the scope of the journal. This inaugural issue contains a series of outstanding reviews consistent with our vision. Reviews focusing on basic concepts (role of estrogens in colorectal cancer, immunomodulatory effects of L-arginine, and effects of Helicobacter pylori on the embryo) have been blended with more clinically oriented articles (plasmid DNA vaccines, sepsis and adjunctive therapy, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. We are committed to obtaining the highest quality reviews from eminent scientists engaged in a variety of disciplines including immunology, endocrinology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genetics, and clinical investigation to create a scholarly journal that will be useful to a broad readership.
Sincerely,
Emilio
Jirillo
Co-Editor
in Chief
Universitá, degli Studi di Bari
Dipartimento di Clinica Medica
Sezione di Microbiologia e Immunologia
Piazza
Giulio Cesare-Policlinico,
Michael J. Quon