Our inaugural Editor-in-Chief is Julio Licinio, MD, PhD, MBA, MS, a prominent figure in the field of psychiatry and neuroscience, who has amassed a wealth of achievements and contributions to his field. Dr. Licinio is the author of 327 publications listed in Pubmed; his h-index is 90, and his work has been cited 42,166 times. His research has been competitively funded at the federal level for 25 years in two continents. As a testament to his eminence and broad achievements, he has been honored with prestigious titles such as Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor at Flinders University, and State University of New York Distinguished Professor​​. His dedication to advancing medical education is evident through his leadership in graduate training programs in translational investigation, which have significantly benefited physician-scientists across multiple prestigious institutions including UCLA, the University of Miami, and the Australian National University. He was also Dean of the College of Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, where he is currently a Distinguished Professor.​

His pioneering work in the pharmacogenomics of antidepressants, where he has delved into the genetic underpinnings of individual responses to psychotropic medications, highlights his significant experience in psychopharmacology​​. This experience is further exemplified by his groundbreaking research on leptin’s role in obesity and its potential implications for appetite control, endocrinology, and the brain’s response to pharmacological interventions​​​. His body of scientific work showcases his forward-thinking in applying psychopharmacological research for therapeutic advancements​.

With over 30 years at the helm of academic publishing, Dr. Licinio has been instrumental in the founding and ascension of four journals, guiding them from their foundational stages to prominence and high-impact status. In a remarkable span of the last seven years, he has skillfully edited and brought to light 44 articles authored by nine Nobel Prize recipients, prominently featuring 19 works by the distinguished Paul Greengard. Dr. Licinio’s adept leadership was pivotal in elevating the first journal he created, transforming it from an emerging entity to the leading journal in its field worldwide in just over a decade.

Similarly, we are curating our Editorial Board from a list of eminent international experts. Our Board will epitomize diversity in expertise, geographical representation, gender, experience, and ethnicity. Confirmed members of the Editorial Board include:

Lucie Bartova, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Laura Bohn, The Herbert Wertheim University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA

Robin Carhart-Harris, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA

Alex K. Gearin, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Mark Geyer, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA

Gabriella Gobbi, McGill University, Montreal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada

Javier González-Maeso, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA

Steven Haggarty, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA

Emelie Katarina Svahn Leão, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil

Bernard Lerer, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel

Edythe London, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA

Charles Raison, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53719, USA

Dusty Rose Miller, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, USA

David E. Olson, University of California, Davis, California 95618, USA

Carol A. Paronis, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA

Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA

Stephanie Sillivan, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA

Michael A. Silver, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA

Introduction

We are thrilled to have launched a new journal exclusively dedicated to this extraordinary field, which is experiencing a renaissance: Psychedelics: The Journal of Psychedelic Pharmacology (ISSN: 2997-2671). Why start this new journal now and why is it needed? Advances in psychedelic research are making hallucinogen substances a new frontier in psychopharmacology. As the world experiences a mental health crisis and an addiction epidemic, there is an increasing need for innovative treatments in psychiatry. Psychedelics need to be given increased attention as a therapeutic strategy. How do they work at the most fundamental molecular levels? Can pathways elucidated through the actions of psychedelics become conceptually novel new avenues for psychiatric treatment? Our new journal will bring together scientists from multiple disciplines to advance psychiatry through innovation. We will set new directions in mental health, neurology, neuroscience, therapeutics, and human consciousness. Please join us in this unprecedented journey towards discovery and its translation into highly innovative treatments.

Aims

Amidst a revolutionary surge in psychedelic research, Psychedelics sets out precisely to pioneer and consolidate the scientific understanding of psychedelic substances. We are committed to publishing high-caliber, rigorous research that explores the biological, clinical, psychological, and societal dimensions of psychedelics. We intend to catalyze and shape the psychedelic renaissance by fostering international collaboration, bridging disciplinary divides, and influencing policy and practice with evidence-based findings. As a platform in this burgeoning field, we aim to propel the dialogue and discovery surrounding psychedelics into uncharted territories, illuminating their profound potential and role in our society. Join us as we chart the course towards a psychedelic-informed future.

Scope

Psychedelics holds a panoramic lens in a field as vast and multi-dimensional as psychedelic research. Our scope is comprehensive, encompassing the full spectrum of psychedelic inquiry. From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic applications, historical insights to societal implications, we are committed to providing a forum for diverse voices and perspectives that inform our understanding of these potent compounds.

We invite submissions from all disciplines, embracing a broad spectrum of research methodologies. We are interested in fundamental neuroscience, biochemistry, pharmacodynamics, clinical studies, brain imaging, therapeutic interventions, psychological explorations of perception and consciousness, and sociological examinations of historical usage and cultural impact.

Our scope is as broad as the field itself. We aim to shed light on the profound complexity and potential of psychedelic substances as we generate a comprehensive repository of psychedelic knowledge. Join us as we traverse the innovative landscape of psychedelic science, charting the unknown and illuminating the future of this exciting field.

Mission

New insights into the mind and therapeutic potential of these remarkable compounds are being gained thanks to the psychedelic renaissance. As the first dedicated platform in this burgeoning field, the mission of Psychedelics is fourfold:

• Promote Rigorous Research: Psychedelics aims to become a beacon for the rigorous and robust scientific exploration of psychedelic substances. We welcome experimental and observational studies, reviews, and meta-analyses that dissect psychedelics’ biochemistry, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic potential, and other material that can advance the field.
• Bridge Disciplinary Boundaries: We aim to unite disparate disciplines by publishing cross-disciplinary research that connects molecular understanding with clinical, psychological, societal, and historical perspectives of psychedelic substances.
• Foster Collaboration: As pioneers in the field, we are committed to fostering an international, collaborative community of researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and stakeholders. We aim to spark lively discourse, encourage knowledge sharing, and facilitate synergies.
• Influence Policy and Practice: Our journal aspires to document the psychedelic revolution and shape it. By presenting clear, evidence-based findings, we aim to influence medical, legal, and societal perspectives towards psychedelics, ultimately leading to more informed policy and practice.

As we navigate these exciting and uncharted waters, we invite you to join us in our quest to understand the mysteries of psychedelics, their transformative potential, and their place in our society. Together, let us illuminate the path to a psychedelic-informed future.

Values

At the heart of Psychedelics reside our unwavering core values: academic integrity, scientific rigor, passionate purpose, relentless innovation, inclusive and cross-disciplinary team science, and excellence. We serve as a global platform that celebrates the diverse tapestry of psychedelic research, welcoming contributions from every corner of the globe. Each manuscript that comes to us is evaluated solely on its merit and potential contribution to the field, unswayed by its geographical origin. In fostering this culture of fairness and respect, we strive to create a dynamic, equitable space that fuels the collective growth and understanding of psychedelics as a tool to better health.

Indexing

We are now registered with Crossref, providing all our publications with searchable DOI links. Applications are being made for Psychedelics' ISSN and E-ISSN. As a new and academically based and focused publication, we strive to build a robust portfolio of published articles to meet the criteria for inclusion in other databases. Upon reaching the minimum thresholds, our mission is to actively pursue indexing by prominent databases such as Emerging Sources Citation Index, Web of Science, Current Contents, Current Contents/Life Sciences, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, MEDLINE/Index Medicus, Neuroscience Citation Index, PsycINFO, and Science Citation Index. Importantly, inclusion in these databases is retrospective. Consequently, even if your paper is submitted before our indexing, once achieved, your work will be indexed and electronically accessible through these databases.

Impact Factor

Genomic Press is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and as such we support the adoption of multiple practices in research assessment. DORA’s first general recommendation is not to use journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors, as a surrogate measure of the quality of individual research articles, to assess an individual scientist’s contributions, or in hiring, promotion, or funding decisions.

The notion of a “journal impact factor,” alternately abbreviated as IF or JIF, conceived by Eugene Garfield, was created at the Philadelphia-based Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The IF was originally created as a tool to help librarians identify journals to purchase, not as a measure of the scientific quality of research in an article. Broadly, the IF is indicative of a journal’s influence, as it has regularly assessed annually since 1975 for those journals enumerated in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR). This establishment, first identified as Thomson ISI, fell under the ownership of Thomson Scientific & Healthcare in 1992. A series of transactions in 2018 saw Thomson Reuters divest itself of ISI, transferring ownership to Onex Corporation and Baring Private Equity Asia. In the current epoch, Clarivate, an emergent corporation formed by these organizations, presides over the publication of the JCR.

The term “impact factor” is constituted by the quotient derived from dividing the total citations received in one year by articles published within the preceding two years, divided by the number of articles published within that same two-year timeframe. As an illustration, the highly regarded journal Cell (published by Cell Press, a subsidiary of Elsevier) boasted an impact factor of 66.850 for 2022. This number indicates that each scholarly piece published in 2020 and 2021 by Cell was cited, on an average scale, close to 67 times in the year 2022. It must be emphasized, however, that the computations for the impact factors for the year 2022 were only disclosed in June of the year 2023, for the calculus can only be performed post the thorough perusal and processing of all scholarly output for the year 2022 by the indexing company.

The journal impact factor (IF or JIF) is a metric index calculated by Clarivate that measures the number of citations articles published in a specific journal receive over two years, based on the Clarivate Web of Science index. This metric gauges a journal’s relative importance within its field, with higher impact factors indicative of higher prestige and influence. Despite its criticism for potentially encouraging malpractice, the use of impact factors for promotional decisions and research proposals by universities and funding agencies is common. For more information, refer to the article by EC McKiernan and colleagues (2019)[1].

As for Psychedelics, our Impact Factor will be determined after the first three years of publication.

[1] Source: Erin C McKiernan et al. Meta-Research: Use of the Journal Impact Factor in academic review, promotion, and tenure evaluations. Elife 2019 Jul 31;8:e47338. doi: 10.7554/eLife.47338.

Link: https://elifesciences.org/articles/47338.

Peer Review

Peer review is the cornerstone of the scientific evaluation process, and it is widely used in evaluating research funding (grants) and research results (papers). We firmly believe in the integrity of the editorial process that is based on impartial peer review.

Single-blind peer reviews are anonymous only to the authors: authors do not know the reviewers’ names or backgrounds, but reviewers know theirs. Both authors and reviewers in double-blind peer reviews are anonymous; only the editor knows their identities. The single-blind peer review process is the most common in biomedical publishing.

At Psychedelics, we will use the traditional single-blind pee-review format, in which authors do not know who the reviewers are before or after publication. A truly double-blind peer review process is hard to attain, as a knowledgeable review can infer authorship based on specific methods and areas of research and cited work.

The content of Psychedelics will be entirely peer-reviewed. The only exception will be informational editorials, written by the Editor-in-Chief as broad and topical commentaries, and those will be clearly identified as Editorials.

All content submitted to Psychedelics, including original research, reviews, correspondence, and all other manuscript types, will be – without exception – sent by our editorial office to outside experts for single-blind peer review. To maintain the international makeup of Psychedelics from the outset, we typically send each submission to eight experts, inviting experts in such a manner that avoids all reviewers being in any one country. We aim to make editorial decisions based on at least three reviews, but if only two reviews are obtained, we may use them for an editorial decision.

Publishing with Psychedelics offers a distinct blend of benefits designed to champion your research and its impact. We guarantee a swift, meticulous, and personalized review process, ensuring your work is treated with the care and attention it deserves. Our commitment to global dissemination translates into a wide-reaching audience for your work, propelled further by our comprehensive press release strategy, providing worldwide access and visibility. In alignment with our dedication to equity and accessibility, we maintain a fair and transparent cost structure. our dedicated yet expansive focus on emerging research across multiple areas ensures your work will contribute to and thrive within the forefront of psychedelic science. Choose Psychedelics, where every piece of research is a step towards pioneering the future of psychedelic pharmacology and related sciences.

Amplifying Your Research Impact

In today's digital landscape, scientific communication extends far beyond traditional academic channels. At Psychedelics, we have developed a proven strategy that has generated over 500 news stories in more than 10 languages within our first two months of publication. Our comprehensive approach ensures your work achieves maximum visibility while maintaining rigorous scientific integrity.

Global Distribution Through EurekAlert!

All newsworthy articles published in Psychedelics are distributed through EurekAlert!, the world's leading science news service operated by AAAS. EurekAlert! has specific eligibility guidelines that news releases must meet to be accepted and hosted on their platform. Rest assured that Genomic Press will cover all submission fees associated with your press release. However, please note that payment of these fees does not guarantee acceptance by EurekAlert!

Psychedelics‘ recent success stories through EurekAlert! demonstrate the power of this approach:

• An estimate of the number of people with clinical depression eligible for psilocybin-assisted therapy in the United States: 88 media outlets across 10 languages  
• Single-dose psilocybin alters resting state functional networks in patients with body dysmorphic disorder: 80+ global media outlets

The extraordinary global media response to these publications in Psychedelics (Genomic Press) - with coverage spanning 88 media outlets across 10 languages - demonstrates not only the growing worldwide interest in psychedelic medicine but also establishes Psychedelics as a leading voice in this rapidly evolving field. This reach across major international media outlets, from Newsweek to China's healthcare press, reflects both the quality of research being published in Psychedelics and the journal's role as a key platform for communicating critical developments in mental health treatment innovation to a global scientific and medical audience.

Each newsworthy paper receives coverage through:

• EurekAlert! English language service (12,000+ journalists)
• Multiple language versions (Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic)
• Specialized scientific channels targeting specific research communities

Strategic Digital Dissemination

We leverage various social media platforms strategically:

• LinkedIn: Connect with industry leaders, potential collaborators, and research organizations
• X (formerly Twitter): Engage in real-time with the global scientific community
• Facebook: Reach broader academic audiences through established scientific groups
• Instagram: Transform complex concepts into visually engaging content
• YouTube: Share in-depth interviews and methodology explanations

Comprehensive Press Distribution

Beyond EurekAlert!, our press office maximizes impact through:

• International press release networks
• Specialized science media outlets
• Institutional press offices
• Scientific news services

The success of our approach is evident in the rapid global uptake of research published in Psychedelics. At Genomic Press, our goal is not simply to publicize your research, but to foster meaningful engagement within both academic circles and the broader scientific community, as demonstrated by our achievement of over 500 media stories across multiple languages in our first two months.