Dear colleagues,

Earlier this summer, during the Scand-LAS Conference in Djurönäset I was asked by Jann Hau, editor-in-chief of the Journal, whether I would be interested to take over, and to deal with the responsibilities of the news editor of the Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science besides my work at the Karolinska Center for Transgenic Technologies (KaCeTT). And, as you now understand, I said yes.

Just some words about myself: I took my MSc degree in livestock technology, and specialised on laboratory animals. In 1990 I moved to Sweden. From the year after, 1991 I was employed by the Karolinska Institute, where I still work even today, however at another department as the one I started in. Since 1993 I am also a member of the Scand-LAS.

Ever since I said yes, I have thought a lot about what I should like to do in this new position for the Journal. Of course, my main task is to compile a list over the coming events: conferences, courses, exhibitions and so on. There are different ways to find the necessary information: one can search in the Internet or thumb different journals, for instance. I'd also like to build up a network first of all within the Scand-LAS, maybe also with different institutions, even companies, which deserve laboratory animal science in these countries. Furthermore, I should also like to take in into this network for exchanging the information secretaries of other member associations of FELASA too.

On my first editorial board meeting I presented my plans about starting two new columns in the Journal: one about research groups working with animal models, presenting themselves and mainly the model they work with, the other one about companies presenting themselves in a short article and maybe some of the newest products or services they have. I should like, naturally, to present research groups alternately from all Scand-LAS member-countries, rotating, if possible the species of the animal model too and companies not necessarily from, but which market their stock within these countries.

I can also think about trying to find people in the future to write follow-up articles about the main events of interest for the readers of the journal, as, for instance the annual Scand-LAS meetings. My proposals met some doubts on the meeting, mainly because of the difficulties editors used to face when trying to obtain manuscripts, especially from researchers. We agreed on the terms concerning the presentation of the companies, namely that all companies interested in writing about themselves should get an equal chance. Since I am not employed by any commercial company and the decisions to choose a supplier are above my competence, I don't have any interest to promote any particular company. Thus, I take this opportunity to call upon all companies, which are interested in presenting themselves, to contact me and I'll be happy to have them in the Journal. On the other hand, this presentation is not going to be any kind of advertisement, so it will not contain any logotype or picture, only text. If I can overcome in future some of the problems all editors are already familiar with, the readers could catch a glimpse of what's happening outside their units, maybe in fields they would seldom get in touch to. Another idea would be to present in a column other member associations of FELASA.

Because of the very tight closing date to this issue the list over the coming events is still short. Hopefully, I can make it longer for the last issue of this year. Besides, within this short time I could only get a research group and a company from my closest surroundings in Sweden. But for the next issue I shall extend the circle over the borders.

Biborka Bereczky Veress

e-mail: Biborka.BVeress@cmb.ki.se