In 2024, many JLPM authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.

Outstanding Authors (2024)

Anna Carobene, San Raffaele Hospital, Italy

Callum Verran, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, UK

Massimo Daves, Clinical Biochemical Laboratory Hospital of Bolzano, Italy

Jennifer Shea, Saint John Regional Hospital, Canada

Outstanding Author

Anna Carobene

Anna Carobene holds a crucial position in Laboratory Medicine at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, leveraging her Clinical Biochemistry background from the University of Milan. Her active involvement with the European Federation of Laboratory Medicine (EFLM), particularly as the leader of the European Biological Variation Study (EuBIVAS), along with her roles in EFLM's AI Working Group and the SIBioC's Big Data and AI WG, demonstrates her commitment to advancing the discipline. Furthermore, Dr. Carobene is an engaged member of the Task Group for the BV database and the IFCC's Task Force on Global Lab Quality. Her contributions to international societies, especially in partnership with data scientists, bridge traditional methodologies with cutting-edge technological advancements, leading to a wealth of scientific publications. A sabbatical year in Ethiopia highlighted her role in improving laboratory services and fostering vital academic connections. Her impact is felt across professional societies, distinguishing her efforts to establish new standards in laboratory medicine.

The key skill sets of an author, from Dr. Carobene’s perspective, include a strong command of language, the ability to conduct thorough research, critical thinking, creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication. An author should also possess perseverance and the ability to receive and incorporate feedback constructively.

To mitigate biases in writing, which is a challenge inherent to all authors, Dr. Carobene indicates that it is crucial to proactively pursue diverse perspectives and engage in collaborations with other authors, particularly those from international backgrounds. Self-reflection to identify one’s own biases and striving for representation of different viewpoints are key strategies for bias reduction. Additionally, the input from thorough peer reviews plays a vital role in this process. Such contributions should be regarded as essential, welcoming them without sensitivity.

“My motivation for engaging in academic writing, despite its rigorous demands, is fueled by a profound passion for not only advancing knowledge within my discipline and enriching scientific dialogue but particularly from an educational perspective, especially when publishing alongside younger collaborators. The opportunity to influence practices, policies, and future research directions, along with the intellectual challenge it presents, sustains my dedication,” says Dr. Carobene.

(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)

Callum Verran

Callum Verran completed his medical training at Barts & The London in 2019, following his undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences at the University of Birmingham. He subsequently completed his Foundation and Core Medical training in Portsmouth before taking up his current post as a Senior Clinical Fellow in Dermatology in 2023. His recent project, investigative algorithms for disorders affecting plasma bilirubin, was recently published in JLPM. His research interests are in the use of AI in Medicine.

Dr. Verran believes that a good academic paper needs a clear aim and to add something novel to the current literature, even if the results being reported are not significant. He recommends authors, during the preparation of a paper, ask someone not involved in the preparation of the paper to critically analyse it ahead of submission to try and minimize any changes that may be needed. It can be disheartening when there are revisions requested, but these typically mean an improved paper in the long run.

“I was invited to publish in JLPM as part of a special series, which was a unique opportunity to work on a paper that lay outside my previous experiences,” says Dr. Verran.

(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)

Massimo Daves

Massimo Daves, MD, was granted his degree as a Laboratory Technician in 1994, his degree in Medicine in 2001, and a specialization in Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine in 2008 at the University of Verona (Italy). He currently serves as a medical doctor at the Clinical Biochemical Laboratory of the General Hospital of Bolzano (Italy). Dr. Daves has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and more than 60 posters/abstracts presented at national and international congresses. He is also the Associate Editor of Italian Journal of Laboratory Medicine, a member of the Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SIBIOC), Italian Society of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (SIPMeL), and a member of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Academy. His main areas of interest include pre-analytical variability, analytical and clinical validation of biomarkers, diagnostics of acute coronary syndrome, and diagnosis of autoimmune diseases.

In Dr. Daves’ opinion, the most important element of a good academic paper is the clarity of presentation. To him, the content, results, and conclusions must be innovative and useful for the scientific community, based on certain and repeatable data and with appropriate statistical analysis, but as he sees it, the clarity of presentation with a good logical structure is the determining factor. In this context, the work carried out by trained and expert external reviewers is essential because, with the right observations and requests for improvement, they can upgrade a good job to a great job.

Dr. Daves highlights that it is very important that authors always keep the final goal of their work in mind. He explains, “A nice work is prepared by setting yourself a clear goal and by planning the collection and the analysis of data with an appropriate statistic in the best way possible. Writing an academic paper is like planning a trip. The better the planning, the easier and safer you get to your destination.”

The way Dr. Daves sees it, data sharing in scientific writing is very important. The ability to make research data available to other authors can open new opportunities for scientific research. In his view, it certainly makes it a lot easier to directly compare the data collected by different research groups. It can facilitate collaborative relationships between researchers and stimulate scientific discussion. Finally, it can also represent a further check on the complete correctness of the data collected.

(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)

Jennifer L. Shea

Jennifer Shea is the Division Head of Clinical Biochemistry in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Saint John Regional Hospital in Saint John, NB, Canada. She is also an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in the Department of Pathology. In addition to this work, she consults for the New Brunswick Coroner’s Office, providing expertise in forensic toxicology as part of death investigation. She obtained a PhD at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL, where the focus of her research was the genetic and biochemical etiology of obesity. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Chemistry at the University of Toronto before starting her position at the Saint John Regional Hospital in 2013. She has published on a wide variety of topics including clinical and forensic toxicology, point-of-care testing, and quality assurance related to blood collection. She is also the President-Elect of the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists.

In Dr. Shea’s opinion, every great academic paper begins with an insightful research question – one whose answer can benefit the practice of laboratory medicine. A good paper should also be clear, well-written, and concise, with a sound rationale for performing the study. It is also tremendously helpful to give careful thought to how best to visualize the data that are being presented. To her, the best papers are those that utilize the most impactful data visualization techniques.

In constructing a paper, Dr. Shea believes it is important for authors to consider the way in which they are telling the story of the work they are presenting. She finds it helpful to use a structured approach with each paper she writes, which helps keep her thoughts clear and present her findings in a manner that is easy for the reader to follow. She likes to start the process of writing any paper with an outline, which includes major points she wants to make, a list of tables and figures she plans to include, and how her findings fit into the context of other research that has been done on the topic. She thinks, ultimately, the most important thing to bear in mind while writing a paper is how to best convey one’s message to the intended audience in a way that will hopefully help them improve their own practice within the field of laboratory medicine.

“I chose to publish in JPLM because the journal aligns with my clinical and research interests. I appreciate that the journal publishes papers that cover a broad spectrum of studies across the field of laboratory medicine. I also appreciate that the journal is open-access, which ensures that my research has a broader reach,” says Dr. Shea.

(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)