Uncovering the secrets of sleep and circadian rhythms

Our circadian rhythms tell us when it's time to sleep and energize us at different times of the day; evidence suggests it also plays a role in the development of diseases such as cancer. Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announces the launch of a new open access journal that will publish latest research on sleep and circadian rhythms.

Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, a new open access journal, will help understand better the role of sleep and circadian rhythms. Publishing research in this field will help to create new approaches for treating sleep disorders that have a negative impact on millions of people. The journal is now open for submissions.

Editor-in-Chief Professor Mark R. Opp, Professor and Vice Chair for Basic Research, UW Medicine Research & Education Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology, at the University of Washington, USA, explained why the launch of the new journal is timely and significant.

"Although the importance of interactions between sleep and circadian rhythms is increasingly recognized, existing journals focus on these research areas as if they are independent processes," he said.

"The time is ripe for the fields of sleep and circadian rhythms to have a journal that is dedicated to cross-fostering these disciplines. We aim to build a community of ownership for Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms such that the effort of those who spend their valuable time advancing the field and contributing to the success of the journal is rewarded."

A multidisciplinary journal, Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms publishes articles on basic, translational and clinical research into sleep. It focuses on the mechanisms of sleep/wake and circadian regulation at the molecular and systems level, as well as research into the function of sleep. One of the key aims of the journal is to translate basic research findings to understand and treat sleep and circadian disorders.

The journal will publish open access papers online and will be rolled out in Elsevier's brand new electronic submission and review system EVISE®. The journal will follow the Article Based Publishing scheme, allowing papers to appear fully citable online just shortly after acceptance.

Toby Charkin, Executive Publisher responsible for Elsevier's cognitive & behavioural neuroscience journals, said, "We are very excited about the launch of this new open access journal, which we believe will foster increased cross-collaboration between the fields of sleep and circadian rhythms and help to distribute this vital research to a broader audience."

Provided by Elsevier