Professor Christa Müller of Bonn University is the new Editor-in-Chief of ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. She is a professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the university’s Pharmaceutical Institute and the director of the PharmaCenter Bonn. Her research interests include medicinal chemistry and pharmacology of purine binding membrane proteins, among other topics. She has published extensively […]

Why did you want to be Editor-in-Chief of ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science?

ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a true global leader in chemistry-based science. Being appointed the EIC of a journal published by ACS is exactly what I have been waiting for! I am passionate about this emerging journal, its role in publishing cutting-edge pharmacological research, and its mission to bridge the gap with translational science. This role provides me with a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community and to use my qualities as a leader, including my energy and creativity, to design, direct, and shape the future of this young, promising journal.

What are your goals for the journal over the coming year?

My goals for the coming year are to make the journal widely known and highly valued by pharmacologists, medicinal chemists, and translational scientists in general. I want it to become one of the leading journals in the field with a great reputation and an Imin the first quartile of pharmacology journals. I plan to launch new initiatives, including highlights and a Review article series on “Recommended Pharmacological Tool Compounds,” among others. The journal will set new standards in the field, support diversity, and emerging young scientists will play an active role. I believe passionately in the success of ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science and its impact on people.

Why should people doing work in the field submit their next manuscript to ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science?

This journal covers a broad range of topics, encompassing biology, pharmacology, and chemistry. Here are five reasons to publish in ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science:

  1. High-impact articles featuring a wide variety of subjects
  2. High scientific and ethical standards
  3. Flexibility in formatting
  4. Rapid time to publication
  5. No charges or fees to submit a manuscript or publish an article under the traditional subscription model (non-open access)

What are you and your group working on now?

Last year, we started working in a completely new field: Developing therapeutic drugs for treating coronavirus infections such as COVID-19. Our main, longstanding interest is in targets involved in purinergic signaling, including purine receptors and ectonucleotidases, which play a major role in inflammation, immunity, and cancer. Moreover, we are interested in orphan GPCRs and G proteins as drug targets. My group is relatively large, highly interdisciplinary, and our techniques include synthetic organic chemistry, analytical biochemistry, molecular and structural biology, and pharmacology.

What advice would you give to the field’s early career scientists?

Look for mentors, build your network, be open and always talk to people, collaborate with great scientists, and enjoy your work. You should listen to criticism (if it’s justified) and try to improve. Lastly, find a balance between your work and private life.

When you aren’t doing research and fulfilling your editorial duties, how do you spend your time?

I have many interests and hobbies, but unfortunately, not enough time to pursue all of them. I love reading, writing, sports, cooking, and traveling. One of my great passions is dancing: Tango Argentino, salsa, zouk, and more.

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