2004 marks the silver anniversary of Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis (EMM) and brings the opportunity to celebrate the contributions made by the Journal to the fields of genetic toxicology and mutagenesis. Twenty-five years is not a long time in many contexts, but it has been long enough to experience revolutionary changes in science. The past 25 years of EMM have seen the maturation of testing strategies and the impact of molecular biology and genomics on genetic toxicology. For the Journal's 25th anniversary, we have brought together a collection of papers that provides perspectives on the history and science of genetic toxicology, reviews of subjects in the focus areas of the Journal, and original research articles that represent the high quality of the research currently published in EMM.
As described in the first article, a history of EMM written by George Hoffmann, the Journal's second Editor-in-Chief, EMM's content has changed over the years. From a heavy emphasis on short-term test systems in the early volumes, EMM now publishes articles encompassing mechanisms of mutagenesis and chromosomal alteration; genomics and proteomics; primary DNA damage; replication, recombination and repair; public health; and new and emerging technologies. This mix of applied and basic research has made it necessary for the Journal to rely upon the expertise of numerous scientists who have generously volunteered their time in order to maintain EMM's scientific quality and impact. For this project, we have asked some of these individuals, including former Editors-in-Chief, former and present Editorial Board members, and other friends of the Journal, to contribute a perspective, review, or an original research article to this collection. In addition to a history of EMM, the initial group of articles in this issue includes a review of the development of genetic toxicology as a scientific discipline, a personal perspective on the history of mutagenesis, and a research article that exemplifies the scientific quality of the Journal. As we move into 2005, the 26th year of EMM will bring additional invited contributions that address the scientific focus areas of the Journal.
Organizing this special collection of papers has been an exciting and rewarding undertaking. We would like to thank all the authors for their contributions, members of the EMM Editorial Board for their comments and suggestions, and the referees who have reviewed the manuscripts in a timely fashion. It has been a privilege to participate in bringing this 25th anniversary collection to EMM's readers. We hope that these papers will set the stage for another 25 years of outstanding publications in environmental and molecular mutagenesis.