5 Questions With Our New Editor-in-Chief

 

Get to know our founding Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jessica Blair, as she answers 5 questions about her research experience and becoming involved with the journal.

What is your research background?

My interest in microbiology really started in my final year at the University of Oxford. I remember hearing about the Broad Street Pump in a lecture on cholera by Martin Maiden and I was hooked. I did my undergraduate project in Martin’s lab and that was when I fell in love with research. After that, I moved to the University of Birmingham and I’ve never left! I did a PhD on how efflux pumps contribute to antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, followed by a postdoc, and in 2015 I was lucky enough to get a fellowship to start my own lab. I actually found out I was pregnant the day before my fellowship interview and so it wasn’t until after maternity leave that my lab really got going!

Now, my lab studies molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in different species of Gram-negatives. One of the real challenges with these bugs is that it’s very difficult to get drugs into them as they have a relatively impermeable outer membrane, and then when you can get drugs into them, they throw them straight back out using efflux pumps. That's a really interesting problem and we’re trying to figure out how to get around that.

What is your favourite thing about research?

I’ll list two things as I can’t choose one. Firstly, the science. It’s like solving puzzles for a living, but I get to pick the puzzles and no one else knows the solutions! Secondly, and just as importantly, I get to work with brilliant and interesting people. I've been so lucky that over the course of having my own lab, I've worked with fantastic people and that has made it an absolute pleasure to do the job.

What is the best advice you can give to early career researchers?

Firstly, a good mentor is crucial. Find someone who can give you advice, honest feedback and fight your corner. Secondly, spend your time wisely. Think carefully about each opportunity and pick the ones that align with your goals. Finally, collaborate! No one can possibly have all the expertise required to answer the really important scientific questions alone. Collaboration has been an absolute game changer for my lab.

What are you most looking forward to in your role as Editor-in-Chief?

I’m really looking forward to reading a whole lot of new and exciting science. While my own research is bacteria-focused, antimicrobial resistance is much more than that. We’re facing a global health crisis that also demands effective antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics. I want this journal to explore the full breadth of problems and solutions in the field. I’m also keen to make sure the content of the journal reflects the global nature of antimicrobial resistance.

What are you excited to commission and why should authors submit to our journal?

As a first step, I’m keen to commission reviews and opinions articles about the state of the current situation and most promising solutions in all of the areas we’re interested in: antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitic agents. I'm also interested in publishing articles that do something positive for the community in terms of diversity and inclusivity. We’re a community journal at heart, so above all, we are keen to hear your ideas on what we should be publishing, so always feel free to send us any ideas and abstracts!

I would like npj Antimicrobials and Resistance to become a destination of choice and a respected source for all research in our broad scope. Authors will get access to the editorial quality of the Nature Portfolio, with competitive review timelines and have their work published in a progressive, modern and, most importantly, Open Access journal, meaning everyone can access the important research we will publish.