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Editorial

PROFESSOR CHRIS ARME (Editor 1987–2006)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2007

Frank Cox
Frank Cox
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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Type
Editorial
Information
Parasitology , Volume 134 , Issue 9 , August 2007 , pp. 1149 - 1150
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Parasitology has had very few editors since it was founded to supplement the Journal of Hygiene in 1908, which implies that the various editors have all been long serving and Professor Chris Arme has been no exception. After nearly twenty years Chris has resigned as co-Editor leaving behind a journal that has benefited from his immense experience and leadership and one that ranks among the top parasitological journals of the world. When Phil Whitfield resigned as my helminthological co-Editor in 1987, Cambridge University Press and I agreed that we needed an outstanding helminthologist to replace him and we had no hesitation in approaching Chris who had been a very active member of the Editorial Board of Parasitology and a regular contributor to the journal. Gradually Chris began to make an impact on the journal and the number of regular issues increased from six a year in 1987 to ten in 1993 and twelve in 1996. At the same time the two Supplements continued to thrive and Chris's policy of leaving these to their respective editors paid dividends as these too became established among the most important components of the parasitological literature. In 1999 I retired as co-Editor and Chris was joined by Stephen Phillips and together they managed the most important change in the journal for nearly a century, the move towards electronic submission and publication. This was an essential but not an easy change and the editors managed it very carefully and for a time also allowed the submission of hard copy enabling contributors mainly from overseas to adjust to the changes. This caution paid dividends and Parasitology now has one of the simplest and most efficient electronic systems available for authors and referees. However, electronic systems do not make things any easier for editors and the change necessitated the appointment of a third co-Editor, Robin Gasser, in 2006. Now Chris feels that he has done as much as he can for the journal and has decided to resign.

Editing Parasitology is, of course, not Chris's only activity and his career has been based on his research in the field of helminthology with particular reference with cestodes and the interrelationships with their hosts. In all he has published over 100 refereed publications as well as chapters in books and was awarded a DSc by Keele University in 1985. He has been Professor of Zoology at Keele University since 1979, Head of the Department of Biological Sciences from 1982 to 2000 and Dean of Natural Sciences from 1998 to 2000 with a secondment as Director of Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences at the National Environment Research Council from 1993–1996. In 1990, Chris became President of the British Society for Parasitology and is an Honorary Member of the Society. Among other awards, Chris has received the Charter Medal of the Institute of Biology and an Honorary DSc and the Hovorka Medal of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

Chris's expertise will not be lost as he will continue to be a member of the Editorial Board and will continue to referee manuscripts for the journal.

References

Stephen Phillips writes ‘As a relative new boy on the block by the standards of the longevity of editors of Parasitology, being in my seventh year as an editor, I add a few words to Frank's tribute to Chris. There has been a tradition on the journal that the two editors were both co-editors of equal status. During my period of working with Chris there never has been any doubt he was leading the journal forward and from the front. Outwardly, at least, the journal, Parasitology, came first above all else and his efficiency and his level of application to the work of the journal has been both an example to follow but also a challenge to emulate. When I was working in the Far East this past summer, with a 7-hour time difference between Taipei and Keele, I quickly became aware that Chris must have been at his computer working on the journal with the dawn chorus. He always maintained that the journal was to serve and publish good science from the wide breadth of the parasitology community and not just the fashionable, and we shall continue to maintain that tradition. His advice and wisdom from the Editorial Board will be invaluable’.