We regret to inform you that your manuscript has not been selected for publication.
That’s how Andrew Dillin’s relationship with Genes & Development (G&D) begins. The scientific journal, published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Press, fields hundreds of article submissions each year. It’s considered one of the top publications in all of developmental and molecular biology. In 1997, Andrew Dillin, then a graduate student, submits a paper on transcriptional silencing to G&D. He hopes for acceptance, to have his discovery showcased alongside other breakthroughs. What he receives turns out to be even more valuable.
Looking back on the rejection letter, Dillin recalls, “The comments and support that [former] Editor Terri Grodzicker provided were crucial for helping me understand my findings within the larger field of our study.” Grodzicker’s words don’t just inspire Dillin to build on his research. They teach him the true value of the peer-review process. It’s not only about finding and sharing “the best” scientific research. It’s about helping scientists see their own research in a new light.
Now, Dillin is back at G&D. Only he’s not an author. He’s the journal’s new editor-in-chief. In the years since his rejection, Dillin has had an extremely successful career. An investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, he is considered a leader in the field of aging research. His work focuses on how the aging process affects an organism’s whole-body physiology. It’s an area of growing interest at CSHL and labs around the world, and Dillin will lead G&D’s expansion into this exciting field.
Of course, Dillin brings more than this expertise to G&D. “My goal as editor-in-chief is to help G&D continue to be as streamlined and as transparent as possible in the review process,” he says. While acknowledging the difficulties that scientific journals face today, Dillin is optimistic about the future of G&D and science communication in general. In his eyes, it’s not only about establishing consensus but also building communities. It’s not just a competition. It’s a conversation. And Dillin looks forward to helping more of the world’s most gifted scientists find their voice—even in rejection.