Meet our new PeerJ Section Editor – Stefano Menini

We are delighted to welcome Prof. Stefano Menini as our newest Section Editor for PeerJ Life & Environment’s recently launched Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Section.

Stefano is Associate Professor of Human Nutrition at the School of Medicine and Psychology within the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Within his department, Stefano’s research explores the molecular mechanisms involved in metabolic dysfunctions, alterations in nutritional status, ageing and their associated complications, including cancer. In 2000, he obtained his PhD from the University of Genoa, with his research focusing on the Biology and Pathology of Ageing.

Stefano joined Sapienza University in 2005 and has extensive experience in the field of obesity, diabetes, and their vascular and metabolic complications. He is on the Editorial Board of a number of journals and is an active member of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

We caught up with Stefano to find out more about him, his research and his hopes for PeerJ’s Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Section.

Hi Stefano, thanks for agreeing to be a PeerJ Section Editor. Please can you tell us a little about yourself?

I love science and I experience it as a passionate human adventure that aims to pursue new, but almost never definitive, knowledge. An innate sense of curiosity about how the world and life work constantly feeds my desire for knowledge and addiction to science.

What research are you currently focusing on?

Recently, my research focuses on two related topics, namely the contribution of aerobic glycolysis in the cardiometabolic and cancer risk associated with diabetes, and the role of diet-induced carbonyl stress in obesity- and diabetes-associated cardiovascular disorders. These studies will hopefully help answer unresolved questions about the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of diseases that are the leading cause of death globally.

What persuaded you to become a PeerJ Section Editor?

The editorial criteria adopted by PeerJ immediately attracted my attention. In particular, the criterion of judging the soundness of the science, not its importance, novelty, and any other subjective considerations persuaded me to become first an academic editor and then a section editor for PeerJ. These criteria meet my view that science should be full of critical thinking and discussion, and empty of dogmas, apodictic judgements, and declared or not declared interests, even the noblest ones.

Are there exciting areas of research you’d be particularly interested in seeing submitted to the journal?

As cellular metabolism has recently become the hub connecting several research areas, including cardiometabolic, cardiovascular and cancer, I would like to see several competitive articles submitted on this topic.

About PeerJ Sections
Sections are community led and exemplify a research community’s shared values, norms and interests. They provide topically curated content from PeerJ journals and are overseen by Section Editors, who oversee the articles published in their Section to ensure the journal maintains a fair peer review process and the highest standards of scientific practice in their fields.

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