Media Contact: Caroline Laurin
Phone: (703) 299-9766
Email: media@aasld.org
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Today the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) announced that Hepatology Communications – AASLD’s free, open-access journal – has been accepted into Clarivate’s Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Journal Citation Reports – one of the leading citation indexes for journals of science and technology. The journal will now be eligible for an Impact Factor (IF) evaluation, which measures the frequency that a journal is cited and contributes to its reputation in the scientific community. Hepatology Communications will receive its first Impact Factor evaluation in the summer of 2021.
First published in February 2017, the exclusively online journal features the latest basic, translational and clinical research in hepatology and is published monthly. All articles go through a rigorous peer-review process and authors retain the copyright to their work. The journal also offers a wide variety of original and review articles, editorials, letters to the editor and a robust visual abstract program, which has produced over 160 abstracts.
"We are very excited about this major and well-earned milestone for the journal," said inaugural Editor-in-Chief Gyongyi Szabo, MD, PhD, FAASLD. "Hepatology Communications has a fantastic team of associate editors who are not only highly respected experts in various aspects of clinical and basic hepatology but also are incredibly creative about advancing the journal. Through great ideas for review articles and careful selection of original articles for acceptance, we are aiming to continually enhance the reputation of the journal."
Previously, Hepatology Communications has been indexed in Web of Science and the Emerging Science Citation Index, a pre-entry database to the SCIE, after being accepted in November 2018. Following that, the journal applied for full indexing into the SCIE and was granted entry in December 2020.
"We are thrilled that Hepatology Communications has earned this honorable distinction," said Dr. Jorge Bezerra, President of AASLD. "Earning this indexing is a testament to the quality of the science produced by the publication and the incredible leadership of its editorial team, led by Dr. Gyongyi Szabo."
Hepatology Communications’ first IF evaluation will be based on the number of citations in 2020, accumulated from all published articles 2018-2019. "The initial IF will be the beginning of a new chapter for Hep Comm," said Dr. Szabo. "Our editorial team is committed to continuing to build and increase the prominence of Hep Comm, with the goal to make this journal the top choice for authors in basic, translational and clinical hepatology."
About the AASLD
AASLD is the leading organization of clinicians and researchers committed to preventing and curing liver disease. The work of our members has laid the foundation for the development of drugs used to treat patients with viral hepatitis. Access to care and support of liver disease research are at the center of AASLD’s advocacy efforts.