Dear Colleagues:
I've had 4 excellent summer students and I feel deeply obligated in
having their research published to promote their budding careers. For 2, even
though I'm not an immunologist, as the work involved methods in
immunology, I naturally sent these to the J. Immunol. Methods. These were
promptly rejected and so could you give alternative journals I could try?
The first paper was worth a try, but I have to admit was perhaps too
preliminary. It showed that a bacteriophage WB1 could be used to replace
antibodies in the detection of Brucella (animal care groups would love this).
When my institute, DRES, does get its Level 3 containment, I should expand the
research to include a battery of enzyme conjugated bacteriophages to detect
Brucella, anthrax, plague and cholera and try to improve my conjugation
techniques. So I can take the criticism that scientists want refined results
rather than preliminary findings.
For the second, (I don't think I received a copy of reviewers' comments)
that should have done well but didn't. The paper used GammaBind G to improve
ELISAs 100-fold, increased sensitivity to 0.1 nanogram amounts, and has
potential for shortening times for ELISAs.
If you could offer suggestions for other journals to try, I would
appreciate it. Again, I owe my students for at least trying.
Thanks for your help...John Cherwonogrodzky
