This editor profile is the fifthteenth in a series which will introduce you to a selection of our editors.
This week we have an interview with Peter Wright, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Molecular Biology.

What aspect of being an editor do you find most rewarding?
It’s hard to choose just one aspect.  The best part is to see the growth and development of the journal. I started in 1990 as Editor-in-Chief and the journal has grown from 750 submissions per year to more than 2,000 per year.  What is even more important is that we’re getting quality, cutting edge papers in molecular biology. When I took over, the journal had a reputation for being slow, and we worked hard to bring the publication time down from eight months to three or four months.  This was very important because scientists want to see their work published quickly, not languishing. The entire team works really hard to achieve rapid publication.

Can you describe how it feels when you come across a groundbreaking paper?
I am delighted to see it come to our journal. You can usually identify such a paper immediately from the title and the abstract;  there is something new and novel about it. 

What advice would you give to a new editor?
The most important thing is to recruit an outstanding board of associate editors. They need to be acknowledged leaders in their field and active in research. Authors seem to value a journal where the board is highly visible and reputable. A good board contributes greatly to the success of the journal and its ability to publish quality papers.  The editors need to be well known and highly knowledgeable about the field, so they can attract the best referees.

How do you balance your role as editor with your other roles?
It is always a challenge as I have a lot of other roles. For example, I have been department head for 20 years. The key is organization and having outstanding people around to support you. I have a great assistant who works with me on the journal. Having full support from the publisher and my institute is also critical.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Guess what, I wanted to be a scientist! I was fascinated from an early age.  As a kid I had a chemistry lab in my mother’s laundry. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot as well.

Why did you choose molecular biology as your field of study?
I trained as a chemist. I came into molecular biology from the molecular structure side, and it was a natural progression. There has been enormous growth in the field and the Journal of Molecular Biology was the founding journal. Everybody in the biological sciences is a molecular biologist in some way or another. The discipline impacts many things in our daily lives and is central to modern medicine. The impact is so great that it is impossible to point to one particular way in which it impacts our lives. 

Tell me about collaboration.  What is the secret to success?
Communication is the key.  You have to be willing to find a common language to communicate with people who may not be in your discipline or sub-discipline. And you must listen to other people’s ideas.

What gets you up in the morning?
I am a night person rather than a morning person, although I look forward to getting into the lab in the morning to catch up with the science and see the new submissions to JMB.  Science is a lot of fun and editing a journal is as well.

What is the biggest lesson you've learned in your career?
Work hard and be enthusiastic.  Read widely; you really need to stay on top of your field.  You need to write your papers carefully and well if you want them to be recognized and read.

What is your biggest achievement?
I am very proud of my department and the various honorary degrees and other honors I have received, but it is the overall scope of my career that I am most proud of.  I have published more than 350 papers: while there are some that stand out, it is their overall impact that matters most to me.  I am also very proud of the journal and the opportunity I had to take it over and help shape it’s future.

What are you currently reading?  Would you recommend it?  If so, why?
I read quite a few novels.  My favorite books are by Philip Roth, novels like The Human Stain, and I also very much enjoy the works of Doris Lessing and Ian McEwan.  They reveal remarkable insights into human relationships and frailties, which I find very interesting.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
I can’t think of one single person.  I have certainly been strongly influenced by my mentors and I have always been inspired by science and its potential for positive impact on humanity and society.

What would you like your legacy to be?
I would like to be remembered for the science that I have done and also for the scientists I have helped train. There are more than 100 of them and they have gone on to establish their own careers.  I would like to be remembered not only for my own science, but also as a mentor to my postdocs and students, who I hope will go on to do great things.

What do you like to do for fun?
I like to read and listen to classical music; I enjoy opera.  I like to sail, ski and cycle as well.  I think it is extremely important to stay active as you get older. Exercise keeps my mind and body together, so I have energy to focus on my science.