In 2024, HT reviewers continue to make outstanding contributions to the peer review process. They demonstrated professional effort and enthusiasm in their reviews and provided comments that genuinely help the authors to enhance their work.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding reviewers, with a brief interview of their thoughts and insights as a reviewer. Allow us to express our heartfelt gratitude for their tremendous effort and valuable contributions to the scientific process.
November 2024
Annie George, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, USA
December 2024
Masahiro Sugimoto, Tokyo Medical University, Japan
November 2024
Annie George
Dr. Annie George is a PhD prepared registered critical care nurse, currently serving as the Associate Director of Patient Care Services at US Department of Veterans Affairs in New York. She is also the appointed Buckley Scholar Nurse Scientist/faculty at Adelphi University, New York. She obtained her PhD in Nursing and Masters in Nursing from Adelphi University, and her Bachelors in Nursing from India. An avid nurse researcher, administrator, educator and quality specialist, Dr. George’s primary research focuses on tele-critical care, interdisciplinary collaboration, transition to practice, hospital quality improvement and nursing excellence. Her works have been published in American Journal of Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine and Nursing Ethics. She was recognized as the National Nurse Leader of the Year by Press Ganey USA in 2023. She also serves on the advisory board of directors at Hofstra University School of Nursing and Physician Assistant studies, PhD faculty council member, content expert panel member at American Nurses’ Credentialing Center, member of the Press Ganey’s national nursing research committee and a peer reviewer for national conferences, research grants and nursing journals.
HT: Why do we need peer review? What is so important about it?
Dr. George: Peer review is one of the gold standards that ensures quality, credibility and integrity of research through constructive feedback by experts in the field. We need peer-review process, so journals can maintain high standards of research and publication, making it a reliable source of information for other researchers and readers. This is important because this process confirm that the research findings contribute meaningfully to the field and are based on solid evidence. This process also facilitates scholarly dialogue, foster collaboration and critical thinking between researchers, thereby contributing to the overall quality of work.
HT: What are the qualities a reviewer should possess?
Dr. George: A peer reviewer should possess expertise in the subject matter and research methodology, along with strong analytical and attention-to-detail skills. They must be able to assess the research objectively and ethically, offering constructive, actionable feedback while maintaining professionalism and confidentiality throughout the review process. Peer review provides me with the opportunity to give back to the scientific community by contributing to the advancement of research and ensuring the quality and integrity of scholarly work prior to publication.
HT: Why is it important for research to apply for institutional review board (IRB) approval?
Dr. George: IRB approval is a fundamental step in safeguarding the safety, rights, and well-being of human participants in research. The IRB reviews the ethical, legal, and scientific aspects of the research, ensuring that risks are minimized. The IRB also ensures compliance with federal regulations, such as the Common Rule, which governs the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects in the United States. Without IRB approval, the research may be considered unethical, potentially exposing participants to unnecessary risks. This could lead to violations of participants' rights, including their right to informed consent and protection from physical or psychological harm.
(by Lareina Lim, Brad Li)
December 2024
Masahiro Sugimoto
Dr. Masahiro Sugimoto obtained Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Science, and Engineering from Waseda University. He worked as a software engineer at Mitsubishi Space Company. He obtained a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from Keio University and another Ph.D. in dental science from the School of Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University. He joined the Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University as a lecturer and founded SalivaTech Ltd. Currently, he is a professor at the Research and Development Center for Minimally Invasive Therapies, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical University. Dr. Sugimoto studies system biology, metabolomics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence. He has published various research articles regarding data-driven science, especially using omics data. Learn more about him through ResearchGate.
Dr. Sugimoto believes that in addition to an in-depth understanding of the research reported in the paper, reviewers must know the underlying theory and trends in scientifically similar research topics.
Dr. Sugimoto always does reviews on weekend mornings and other times when he has relatively more time to get together. “The topics covered in the journal are areas of rapid research and development, so being able to review new manuscripts is both scientifically stimulating and a great honor,” says he.
(by Lareina Lim, Brad Li)
