Genes and Environment: reflections on its journey, past and future

TL;DR

This paper reviews the history and development of the journal Genes and Environment, highlighting its evolution and efforts to promote international collaboration in gene-environment research.

Contribution

The paper provides a detailed historical account and future outlook for the journal Genes and Environment, emphasizing its role in advancing gene-environment interaction research.

Findings

The journal transitioned to open-access and English publication in 2012, increasing its global reach and citation metrics.

Partnerships with BioMed Central and funding from KAKENHI improved the journal's visibility and impact.

Challenges remain in achieving global diversity in submissions and recognition.

Abstract

This article outlines the history and development of Genes and Environment, the official journal of the Japanese Environmental Mutagen and Genome Society (JEMS). In the 1970s, there was growing concern about the mutagenicity of chemical substances, leading to the establishment of JEMS. The society began publishing its journal, Environmental Mutagen Research, and renamed Genes and Environment in 2006 to focus on gene-environment interactions and promote international collaboration. The journal transitioned to free-access and started publishing in English to expand its reach globally.

From 2012, the journal partnered with BioMed Central (BMC) to become an open-access publication, leading to its inclusion in Scopus, PubMed, and SCIE, and an improvement in its CiteScore and Impact Factor. JEMS also sought funding from Japan’s Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) to support international dissemination of research.

Despite progress, challenges remain, such as limited submissions from certain regions and a need for greater global recognition. To further internationalize JEMS, efforts are being made to elevate the quality of research and broaden membership diversity, with a focus on making JEMS’ activities and publications more accessible to the global scientific community.

Figures