Pharmacology Matters is the product of hard work from our fantastic Editorial Board, led by our Editor in Chief and Deputy Editor in Chief.
In January 2023, Dr Margaret Cunningham’s term as Editor in Chief will end, and current Deputy Editor in Chief, Professor Steven Tucker, will take on the role. Margaret has done excellent work to ensure Pharmacology Matters remains a place for pharmacologists to share their work and learn more about what is happening at the Society, and Steven will undoubtedly continue to grow the magazine during his term.
We are excited to welcome Dr Halima Amer to the role of Deputy Editor in Chief from January 2023. Halima brings experience as a front-line physician to the role, and will work closely with the board and authors throughout her two-year term.
We are also delighted to promote Dr Aisah Aubdool to the role of Senior Editor, reflecting many years of work on the magazine, and her commitment to developing articles that will inspire current and future pharmacologists.
We asked our editors to talk about their roles and why they enjoy working on Pharmacology Matters.
Professor Steven Tucker, current Deputy Editor in Chief, and Editor in Chief from January 1 2023:
My association with Pharmacology Matters began as a contributing author a decade ago, before I joined the editorial board in 2016, latterly serving as Deputy Editor in Chief since 2021. In that time, I have authored and commissioned content ranging from my own musical musings to the launch and use of the core curriculum. It therefore fills me with enormous excitement to succeed the fantastic Dr Margaret Cunningham (Maggie) as Editor in Chief for the magazine that I feel plays such a vital role in connecting the varied and fascinating breadth of work undertaken by the BPS and its members.
In the time I have been associated with Pharmacology Matters, the magazine has grown markedly, with the current 20 strong Editorial Board always looking to commission articles around the next big emerging theme or the latest success story from across the discipline. We have successfully navigated the transition from a posted print magazine to a digital publication, with current reach and readership at an all-time high. It therefore seems like an ideal time to take the reins, and I’d like to thank Maggie for all her fantastic work in keeping the magazine read, required, and relevant for the membership during her term.
As we push forward into 2023, the role of Pharmacology Matters remains as vital as ever; as a conduit for sharing stories, good news, and emerging topics; as a means of connecting colleagues from across our international Society and forging collaborations and partnerships; and as a regular, informative and engaging read for our members from across the world. I look forward to working with the Editorial Board team and the broader membership to ensure this remains the case.
Dr Halima Amer, Deputy Editor in Chief from 1 January 2023:
I am a hospital clinician, working as a medical consultant at an inner-city hospital in London. I am primarily located on the ‘front-lines’: despite (or perhaps because of!) the chaos, I find my work immensely stimulating and rewarding. I came to medical training late, after completing undergraduate and postgraduate training in chemistry; my PhD focused on simulated studies of protein dynamics. I was initially attracted to Clinical Pharmacology because of my academic background, and after graduating, chose to specialise in this area. My training has allowed me to combine my interest in managing the acutely unwell – and often diagnostically challenging – patient within an evidence-based medicine framework.
I moved to Khartoum, Sudan, in January 2019, shortly after completing my specialist medical training. I was fortunate to be able to work as clinician lead in an emergency department, although my timing was less than ideal. Against the backdrop of global uncertainty in how to manage the new coronavirus infection, I was struck by the innovative methods used by local physicians working within severe economic constraints to provide up-to-date care for their patients. One positive aspect of the pandemic was the unprecedented access to previously (firewall)-restricted publications, and the recognition of key contributions made by poorer countries in understanding the disease. These experiences have reinforced my existing interest in health inequality on a global as well as national scale, and of the need for clarity and rigour when communicating complex scientific concepts.
I am very much looking forward to joining the team at Pharmacology Matters, and to being part of a community that engages in robust and open debate with a view to promoting high-quality research.
Dr Aisah Aubdool, Senior Editor:
I am a lecturer in cardiovascular pharmacology at William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London working with Professor Adrian J Hobbs. My very first contribution in Pharmacology Matters was as an article on my PhD project whilst working with Professor Susan Brain at King’s College London in 2014. I joined the editorial board shortly after as part of my BPS ambassador role to advocate for early career pharmacologists, by promoting and developing relevant ECR content.
It has been a privilege to work alongside Dr Margaret Cunningham throughout the years. She has been an inspirational mentor to me, guiding my ideas for Pharmacology Matters. We have worked together with the diverse editorial team on various projects such as ‘Image Competition’, ‘Junior Writing Competition’ and ‘Pharmacologist In Phrame’. These projects encouraged the engagement of different audiences across the world with Pharmacology Matters and the society, in order to increase the awareness of pharmacology. My previous role as Chair of the IUPHAR ECR Committee and member of the BPS Engagement Committee has enabled me to understand the Society’s values and policies surrounding equality, diversity and inclusion. This was key to help with commissioning and overseeing the review of articles for Pharmacology Matters.
I am looking forward to my role as Senior Editor, working alongside the team to further develop Pharmacology Matters, especially in regard to involving ECRs around the world as they are the future of pharmacology.
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