The field of regenerative medicine is at an exciting moment. For decades, other major organ systems have looked on with envy as the hematopoietic system demonstrated that indeed it is possible for a failing organ to be regrown in situ, or regenerated, from the stem and progenitor cells responsible for lifelong maintenance of that organ, either by using such cells from the patients themselves (autologous) or by extracting such cells from donors (allogeneic). Blood had a special advantage in that its stem cells could be isolated without doing harm to the donor, had such enormous proliferative capacity that only a small proportion of the donor’s pool need be tapped, and could be delivered simply by venous infusion. A tremendous investment in basic research on stem cell biology and biomedical engineering has brought us to this juncture, where the barriers to manipulating other organ systems are being broken and regenerative therapies are finally being mooted or tested in humans for the full spectrum tissues in the body.

At this exciting time, our goal is to build a forum for novel and provocative work, where it is possible to publish ideas that are early in development. Regenerative Medicine Frontiers will thus encompass all aspects of regenerative medicine from in vitro/ex vivo, through animal models, to clinical studies, addressing both basic research in degeneration and regeneration as well as applied science, all with an emphasis on future potential and impact, i.e., advancing the twin frontiers of basic knowledge and application.

To serve this goal, we have brought together a talented and accomplished editorial board with wide expertise in both the biomedical engineering aspects of regenerative medicine, as well as the cell biological aspects. In order to facilitate the publishing process, an open access platform with low publication charges and an objective of short turn-around times has been implemented. In recognition of the growing problem of extended delays in publication due to extensive demands for revision, and indeed the issues related to reproducibility that often ensue when reviewers demand perfection, shorter and more preliminary types of study are encouraged, and the review process will focus on rigor and impact, rather than on completeness of the story and tying every loose end. To further ensure rigor, a pre-review process will automatically return submissions that hide or use unjustifiably low sample sizes and/or lack statistical treatment.

I am delighted to thank the editorial board for their service, and to invite my colleagues to both submit their work and to participate in review of work to be published in Regenerative Medicine Frontiers. We hope to establish a highly visible journal that will live up to its name.