To the Pediatric Research readership:

On behalf of the editors and staff of Pediatric Research, we wish you a prosperous and productive 2007.

At the beginning of this New Year, we would like to reflect upon some of the highlights and changes made during the past year. We expanded our Consulting Editorial Board and introduced additional expertise in the areas of hematological and epidemiologic investigation.

With regard to the format of the journal, we began to group manuscripts into three sub-sections – Basic, Translational and Clinical Investigations – to better direct readers to articles along their particular lines of research interests.

In keeping with the translational theme of our journal, we have published reviews and commentaries on various topics, which include:

  • Array-Based Comparative Genome Wide Testing (60:243–244, 2006),

  • Human Embryonic Stem Cells as a Powerful Tool (60:111–117, 2006),

  • Organophosphate Pesticides and Neurodevelopment (60:22–23, 2006),

  • Impaired Growth Plate Chondrogenesis in Children with Chronic Illness (59:625–629, 2006),

  • Genetic Basis of Complex Strabismus (59:343–348, 2006),

  • Mutations in the Wilm's Tumor 1 Gene in Steroid Resistant Nephritic Syndrome (59:165–166, 2006).

In addition, we published a mini-review series on Biologic Imaging that consisted of Moving Toward The Light (60:1–5, 2006), Quantifying Cardiovascular Flow Dynamics (60:6–13, 2006), Ultrasound Biomicroscopy During Embryonic Development (60:14–21, 2006), and an Annual Review issue dedicated to stem cell research, that consisted of sixteen outstanding articles on the topic.

In 2007, our annual review issue is dedicated to the topic of “Epigenetics”, and we hope the articles planned for this issue will enlighten and inspire your own research. We also plan to add a “News in Research” section, which will highlight the science or evidence behind significant topics or current events in the field of development and diseases of childhood. We continue to strive to make changes to the journal that will benefit all investigators, who are committed to improving children's health through research.

The International Pediatric Research Foundation shares the same vision as they continue to provide oversight to the journal.

We would like to thank the reviewers for their valuable contribution, and the authors for submitting their outstanding work to the journal. It is the selfless contributions of reviewers and authors that allow us to bring the journal to you, our readers.