Dr. Ernst J. Reichenberger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Reconstructive Sciences and a founding member of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development in the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC). Dr. Reichenberger has obtained his doctoral degree in the field of Molecular Biology of Connective Tissue from University of Erlangen, Max-Planck-Group for Rheumatology. Dr. Reichenberger has obtained his master's degree in Botany and Biochemistry from University of Erlangen, Germany. Dr. Reichenberger acted as member of several professional societies.

The interest of Dr. Ernst J. Reichenberger laboratory is the genetic origin of human bone and skin/wound healing diseases with a major focus on research of keloids and rare skeletal disorders. My laboratory has extensive experience with disease gene identification and mutation analysis. For disorders where we identified the genetic origin we created animal models to study the function of the mutant genes. In continuation of those projects we are now using animal models, in vitro models and iPS cell approaches to study mutational effects in the human system.

1. What makes an article top quality? 

Response: Needs to have precise experiments with the necessary controls and needs to add new insights into the research. The conclusions must not be more than the data supply.

2. Do you think that journals determine research trends?

Response: Only in part, the trends are also determined by the availability of new methods and preference of funding agencies.

3. What makes a good position paper?

Response: Needs to have precise experiments with the necessary controls and needs to add new insights into the research. The conclusions must not be more than the data supply.

4.Can you give us a broad indication of the types of themes a scientific journal should cover?

Response: Themes are given by the subject title of the journal

 

5.What sorts of research methods and frameworks do you expect people to use, and how will they balance conceptual and applied research?

Response: New methods should be used if more precise; questions are also driven by the methods that are available.

6. If you could be granted dream articles, what would they be on?

Response: On the diseases that I study providing the answer to the mechanism that cause the disease and a cure.

7. Are there any particular areas which you would like to see, or expect to see, collaborate?

Response: No.

8.How does the research published percolate through to practitioners?

Response: Slowly, first solid experimental data are needed.

9. How can a publisher ensure the authors/readers a rigorous peer review and quality control?

Response: Already in place, can never be 100%.

10. What do you see as the merits of journals, as opposed to book series, as a means of scholarly communications?

Response: They are more up-to-date.

11. How do you differentiate of Journal of Regenerative Medicine (JRGM) with other journals in the field?

Response: Journals without or with low impact factors attract manuscripts with less and not rigorous data. The value of low-ranking journals is that smaller sets of data can be published, which would not get into high-ranking journals. Data need to be solid, otherwise reviewers will lose interest in reviewing them, as I have seen in the past. Name recognition for a small journal is important and listing in all major reference sites.