In keeping with the tradition of Pediatric Research, the office of the Editor-in-Chief will relocate to another academic center on January 1, 1999. The office will move from the capable hands of Dr. George Lister at Yale University to Dr. Alvin Zipursky and his colleagues at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto.

Pediatric Research has profited and developed greatly during Dr. Lister's tenure. In addition to members of the Academic societies and other subscribers, the readership has expanded and the journal now reaches 600-800 postdoctoral fellows through corporate sponsorship. The journal reaches physicians in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It has continued to serve and reflect the goals of its three parent societies: the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, and the European Society for Paediatric Research. Recently Pediatric Research has become the official journal of the European Society for Paediatric Haematology and Immunology.

The scope of the journal has included all aspects of pediatric research and this has been associated with an increase in review articles dealing with a wide variety of topics in human development and disorders of children.

There has been a close relationship between the two editorial offices, one at Yale in New Haven, and one at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Pediatric Research has evolved into a truly international journal and now publishes articles from around the world. Ours is a leading journal in experimental pediatric research, and it is our intention to continue that role and uphold the standards of George Lister, his editors, and the European office.

Research in human development and diseases and disorders of children has expanded greatly in recent years. The field of developmental biology including the genetic control of development, has made tremendous progress and the application of these discoveries to human development represents an exciting new field of study. The relation between specific genes and human disease has opened an entire field of research in children. The influence of intrauterine development on subsequent disease in children and adults is a new field of great interest. The rapidly expanding field of evidence-based medicine has brought a new critical focus on the management of childhood diseases. We believe that Pediatric Research can provide the forum for the presentation and discussion of all fields of research into the disorders of childhood.

These expanding scientific fields represent exciting new challenges and opportunities for those of us studying developmental disorders of children. These advances, however, have brought with them new problems. These include the ethics of pediatric and fetal research, genetic diagnosis and confidentiality, animal research, as well as issues associated with government and industry support of research. We anticipate that the journal will serve as a forum for the discussion of these topics as well.

We look forward to developing the journal further so that it will be of interest and value to all in the large community of scientists and clinicians who are involved in the study of human development and childhood disease.

In the future, as we conclude the millenium and prepare to enter a new century, we shall try to have our journal serve its readers by publishing high quality manuscripts that reflect the rapidly expanding and exciting field of research into human development and the diseases and disorders that affect children. We believe that Pediatric Research is on a strong foundation with the potential to expand and broaden its mandate for the coming century.

Alvin Zipursky

Toronto

Hugo Lagercrantz

Stockholm