Following a proposal initiated by the FEBS Education Committee, FEBS Open Bio is starting a section devoted to original and valuable publications in biochemical, molecular and cellular life sciences education. The overall aim of this initiative is to foster good educational practices, stimulate the development of innovative teaching methods, and disseminate advice on educational techniques and resources.

The section will be edited by Angel Herráez and Luciane Mello, who are introduced below. They are seeking contributions in the form of research articles dealing with educational issues, with a clear structure of hypothesis, methods, and validation of results. Articles dealing with best practice, innovative methods, teaching bioinformatics, and use of technology in education are welcome, as are those more specifically aimed at internationalization, training or career planning.

Authors wishing to contribute to the Education section of the journal should submit their articles to https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/febsopen. These articles will be sent out for peer review, as for other regular submissions to the journal. However, authors of accepted articles will be exempt from the article publication fee, and all publication costs will be covered by FEBS. 

For the journal's Editorial introducing the new Education section, click here.

Introducing FEBS Open Bio's new Education Editors

Chemistry graduate Angel Herráez received his PhD in Biochemistry in 1990 at University of Alcalá where he now holds a tenured position. After experimental research, including a postdoc in the MRC Clinical Research Centre (UK), he focused on (bio)molecular structure visualization and the development of interactive resources for both instructors and students. Angel is author of two editions of a successful book on Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering. He has served for 10 years on the Editorial Board of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, coordinated the Education Group of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and is a member of the FEBS Education Committee.

With an MSc from the University of Campinas, Brazil and a PhD from the University of Leeds, UK, Lu Mello moved to the University of Liverpool in 2005. She has published over 40 research articles in biochemistry and bioinformatics but in 2012 decided to direct her career towards teaching and learning. She has won several grants for teaching innovation, and has three awards for her teaching activity, including the prestigious Sir Alistair Pilkington Award for Teaching Excellence (2015/16). Her educational research interest focuses on student–staff partnership, student engagement, and employability.