Celebrations all round at RSC journals

2005 is a momentous year for RSC Publishing, with two of its prestigious journals celebrating milestone anniversaries. ChemComm bursts into 2005 celebrating its 40th anniversary and Journal of Materials Chemistry salutes 15 years of publication.

To commemorate these notable occasions, both journals are publishing specially commissioned articles. ChemComm is running a series of 40th anniversary articles throughout 2005, reviewing the very latest ideas and opinions from all areas of the chemical sciences. The first in the series appears in issue 1, and is a fascinating profile of Hans Wynberg (the first ever ChemComm author!) written by E. W. Meijer.

These special anniversary articles will be complemented by editorial features, highlighting some of the key trends in the communications published in ChemComm since its inception as a journal of The Chemical Society in 1965.

Journal of Materials Chemistry welcomes in the new year with a special celebration issue, with contributions from members, past and present, of the prestigious editorial board. The issue showcases the breadth of coverage and quality of work that has become the hallmark of the journal.

Issues 1 of each journal are the first of their new weekly instalments, a move that sees Journal of Materials Chemistry become the first weekly journal in its field.

A Lab on a Chip special delivery

Lab on a Chip moves from strength to strength in 2005 by doubling in frequency to monthly issues and starts the year with a cutting-edge special issue on cell biology.

'The science and application of cell biology in microsystems is moving rapidly from exploratory demonstrations to sophisticated and targeted applications where the unique properties of microsystems can be leveraged to provide new or enhanced functionality,' write David Beebe and Albert Folch in their editorial. They describe how more intelligent use of microscale phenomena and systems has improved areas including: providing insights into basic biological questions such as mechanisms in the blood-brain barrier; aspects of culturing cells in microsystems; patterning cells within microchannels; and microfluidics and cell biology in embryology. Contributions from internationally acclaimed experts such as Toner, Kennedy, Jensen, Laurell, Bhatia, Shuler and Lee are highlighted.

Since launch in 2001, Lab on a Chip has grown rapidly and has already achieved an impressive Impact Factor of 4.3. To access the contents list for the special issue, or to find out more about the journal, visit:

Clean energy

The RSC book, Clean Energy, has been well-received by the UK's Select Committee on Science and Technology. Ron Dell (formerly Atomic Energy Research Establishment, UK) and David Rand (CSIRO Energy Technology, Australia), are well-placed as authors, having both spent their professional careers working in the energy field. The book presents a broad survey of the energy problems facing society over the coming decades, along with prospects for their solutions. To find out more, visit: