American College of Gastroenterology Announces New Co-Editors-in-Chief of Red Journal

BETHESDA, Md., May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College of Gastroenterology today announced that two nationally recognized gastroenterologists will take the helm of The American Journal of Gastroenterology as Co-Editors-in-Chief, guiding the nation's leading clinical gastroenterology publication.

Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, FACG, of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, FACG, of Cedars-Sinai Heath System, were selected as a team because of their complementary strengths and depth of experience. They assume their new joint roles in January.

"Two leading physicians and talented scientists in the world of clinical gastroenterology have taken over the finest clinical GI journal in the world with the goal of advancing it to an even higher level," said ACG President Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, FACG. "Individually, Dr. Lacy and Dr. Spiegel bring significant experience and tremendous vision to this collaboration, but their combined strengths promise to advance the Journal's prominence not only in the United States but worldwide," Dr. Hanauer added.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology, known as the "Red Journal" among its readership for its distinctive red cover, is the official clinical journal of the American College of Gastroenterology. It is published by UK-based Nature Publishing Group.

AJG ranks first among clinical gastroenterology journals and sixth overall in the gastroenterology and hepatology field based on its 2013 Impact Factor of 9.213, determined by the Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Report (2014).

Dr. Lacy and Dr. Spiegel have outlined several key objectives that include increasing the impact factor even further, proactively inviting high quality and cutting edge clinical research; expanding digital offerings and enhancing digital engagement for readers; extending AJG's international reach and audience; and emphasizing research for obesity and nutrition in GI.

"The American Journal of Gastroenterology is the preeminent clinical gastroenterology journal. I am honored to have been chosen as the next Co-Editor in Chief.  Over the next several years Dr. Spiegel and I will devote ourselves to the tasks of expanding our readership and further improving global accessibility to the cutting-edge clinical and research articles published each month," said Dr. Lacy.

"The previous Co-Editors, Drs. Chey and Moayyedi, have done an amazing job with The American Journal of Gastroenterology over the last 6 years and have set an extremely high bar for us.  We hope that our vision and goals for the Journal exceeds those high standards," added Dr. Lacy.

"Leading The American Journal of Gastroenterology with Dr. Brian Lacy presents a tremendous opportunity to shape the field of digestive diseases," Dr. Spiegel said. "Our team will use the journal to explore new frontiers in biomedical research and patient care."

The incoming editors also plan to capitalize on the rapidly changing and increasingly digital landscape in publishing to the advantage of AJG authors and readers, with a goal of making the Red Journal more accessible, innovative and educational.

Drs. Lacy and Spiegel have authored many papers together, and were recently co-authors on the American College of Gastroenterology Monograph on the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Chronic Idiopathic Constipation, published as an AJG Supplement in August 2014.

"Their shared focus on the care and well-being of gastroenterology and hepatology patients complements the educational and philosophical mission of the College, and will further elevate the reputation and impact of the Red Journal," commented Dr. Hanauer.

Shared Leadership: An AJG Tradition
Sharing editorial responsibilities has been a successful model for The American Journal of Gastroenterology, which since 2009 has made significant strides as a leading scientific journal under the dedicated leadership and innovative contributions of Co-Editors-in-Chief William D. Chey, MD, FACG, of the University of Michigan and Paul Moayyedi, MD, BSc, MB, ChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCP, FACG, of McMaster University. With their guidance, the Red Journal's Impact Factor has increased more than 3 points, and during their tenure over 20 ACG clinical guidelines have been published. Thanks to their vision, AJG has strengthened its reputation as the most relevant publication for practicing GI clinicians.

About Dr. Lacy
Dr. Lacy is Professor of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and Chief, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He has served as a reviewer for all major gastroenterology journals and currently participates on the Editorial Boards of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Hepatology. Most recently, in 2014, he became Editor-in-Chief of another ACG journal, Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology. There he has successfully focused on generating a series of impactful clinical reviews and expanding readership. Dr. Lacy's research interests include pathophysiology and management of functional bowel disorders, as well as diagnostic tests and therapy for Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease. He has been Director of the Motility Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center since 2003, and has served as Co-Chairman of the Rome Foundation Committee on Functional Bowel Disorders since 2012. In addition, he has served on a number of American College of Gastroenterology committees, including Publications, Research, Public Relations, and Educational Affairs. He has also currently serving as the ACG Governor for New Hampshire.

About Dr. Spiegel
Dr. Spiegel has served as Associate Editor of The American Journal of Gastroenterology since 2009.  He has also served on the Editorial Board for Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, and is a reviewer for all major gastroenterology journals as well as a number of major general medical journals.

He is currently a Professor of Medicine and Public Health, and Director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai Health System. Dr. Spiegel teaches health economics and health analytics at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and is Director of the Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CORE).

Dr. Spiegel has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles on a wide variety of gastroenterology and hepatology subjects, and enjoys an international reputation as an expert in study design methodologies, health-related quality of life research, and health economics. He has a particular interest in health services research and health information technologies such as wearable biosensors, mobile health applications and social media, and hopes to use this expertise for the benefit of the Red Journal. Dr. Spiegel is also actively involved with the American College of Gastroenterology, serving as a member of the Research Committee since 2009, and as Chair since 2011. He has also served on the ACG Institute Board of Directors since 2010 and as part of the Rome Foundation Committee since 2008. Known as a dynamic and engaging speaker, Dr. Spiegel is a frequent presenter at national and international gastroenterology courses and conferences.

About the American College of Gastroenterology
Founded in 1932, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is an organization with an international membership of more than 12,500 individuals from 86 countries. The College's vision is to be the pre-eminent professional organization that champions the evolving needs of clinicians in the delivery of high quality, evidence-based, and compassionate health care to gastroenterology patients. The mission of the College is to advance world-class care for patients with gastrointestinal disorders through excellence, innovation and advocacy in the areas of scientific investigation, education, prevention and treatment. www.gi.org

About the American Journal of Gastroenterology
Published monthly since 1934, the Journal is the College's official peer-reviewed journal. The goal of the Journal is to publish scientific papers relevant to the practice of clinical gastroenterology. It features original research, review articles and consensus papers related to new drugs and therapeutic modalities. The ACG Editorial Board encourages submission of original manuscripts, review articles and letters to the editor from members and non-members.

SOURCE American College of Gastroenterology

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