Maarja Öpik to take up the position of New Phytologist Editor-in-Chief from January 2025

The New Phytologist Foundation is delighted to announce that Professor Maarja Öpik will take up the position of Editor-in-Chief of New Phytologist from January 2025 for an initial term of five years.

Maarja has served as a member of New Phytologist's editorial board since 2013 and is Professor of Molecular Ecology and Director of the Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences at the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Maarja’s research addresses the interactions between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, with specific focus on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity patterns. Maarja pioneered one of the first public databases in the field, MaarjAM, which is now widely used as a tool for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal identification and in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal ecological research.

Maarja will lead an outstanding international board of Editors that focuses on all aspects of plant biology, spanning the journal’s five sections: Physiology & Development, Interaction, Environment, Evolution, and Transformative Plant Biotechnology.

Maarja noted that 'New Phytologist is a journal that inspires its readers and authors, and this is the main quality that I aspire to keep, strengthen and develop as an Editor-in-Chief. Publishing inspiring papers and maintaining an active, engaging scientific community contributes towards strengthening the journal and its community.'

Maarja will take over the position from Professor Alistair M. Hetherington, who will step down as Editor-in-Chief after 12 years of outstanding service. Professor Keith Lindsey, Chair of the New Phytologist Foundation’s board of Trustees, commented: 'We are grateful for the many years of excellent leadership offered by Alistair Hetherington, and the journal’s achievements under his tenure as Editor-in-Chief are many. As we look forward, I am delighted to welcome Maarja, an exemplary scientist and editorial colleague to the position of Editor-in-Chief. We are excited to support Maarja’s vision for the journal, and her commitment to the ethos of the Foundation in promoting plant science and supporting the international community of plant biologists. We look forward to the next chapter of the journal’s development under Maarja’s leadership.'

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