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One thing that differentiates Baby Boomers, GenXers, Millennials, and Generation Y is their communication preferences. Who is most likely to answer a call or email, default to texting, or use a given social-media platform? Newer generations of bioprocess professionals are building on the legacies of this industry, and their fresh perspectives are driving innovation. BPI strives to help share that work with as large and relevant an audience as possible — in a range of formats that includes something for everyone. We want to understand how you are most comfortable accessing and sharing technical and business information.

As an editing staff, our preference remains for formal submission and peer review of technical manuscripts. But we’ve been bringing you more interview-based articles, not to bypass technical depth and review, but often because some experts find that approach can present less hassle in corporate legal permissions. By placing the job of manuscript development on the editor, they also save interviewees time. Another time-saving option is our digital edition (available through our printer, Quad/Graphics) online. We find it to be both readable and intuitive to navigate.

Webcasts abound these days too. For example, our “Ask the Expert” presentations have an immediacy that a print publication cannot offer. Some are summarized in the magazine; others are transcribed and edited. Other webinars come from BPI Theater presentations and roundtables, KNect365 digital weeks, short interviews with speakers at major events, and suppliers of goods and services.

We launched our ebook series officially as part of our 2018 editorial calendar. This year, we’ve planned 24 editorial ebooks (12 each on emerging technologies and emerging therapies) and a number of sponsored ebook projects. The former offer end-user perspectives, whether developed through interviews and editorial research, submitted manuscripts, or edited conference transcripts. Referred to as “books” because they are self-contained publications, they usually are single manuscripts averaging ~3,000 words in length. If you have yet to see the range of focused topics published so far, I encourage you to take a look. Dozens of these short publications are available by now, with two new editions each month — on a schedule that sometimes confounds veteran editors long used to monthly print deadlines. Topics range from emerging tools such as for exosome purification and mRNA therapeutics to industry perspectives on continuous processes, clinical testing for biosimilars, biomanufacturing trends, immunotherapies, and industry training.

When you propose or submit a manuscript to us, I will probably give you some idea of which issue, featured report, or ebook theme it might be best suited for — and together we will decide on what sounds most appropriate. If you have a suggestion for another kind of format or approach, we’d love to hear about it.