OXFORD, England, November 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Elsevier, a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and solutions, is pleased to announce that Dr. Irwin B.Levitan has accepted the position of Editor-in-Chief of the journal Brain Research. He succeeds Dr. Floyd E. Bloom, who has served with distinction as an Editor of the journal since its inception in 1967 and, latterly since 2000, as its Editor-in-Chief. In his new role, Dr. Levitan will lead this popular multidisciplinary journal devoted to fundamental research in the brain sciences.

Dr. Levitan is Founding Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and has played an active part in the field of neuroscience for 35 years. He is also currently Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Jefferson and has received numerous awards and honors, including two successive NIH Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Awards and two awards from the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has played prominent leadership roles in the Society for Neuroscience. Earlier this year, he was appointed President of the Association of Medical School Neuroscience Department Chairs.

Upon his appointment, Dr. Levitan commented, I am excited to assume the role of Editor-in-Chief and I make a commitment to retain the tradition and unique characteristics of Brain Research to ensure the long term success of this great journal.

Dr. Levitan has been Senior Editor for Neuroscience for the Encyclopedia of Life Sciences and a Reviewing Editor for the Journal of Neuroscience. In addition, he is co-editor of Ion Channels and Receptors, and a special issue of Neuropharmacology on Potassium Channels. He is also co-author of Neuromodulation: The Biochemical Control of Neuronal Excitability, and co-author of a widely-used textbook, The Neuron: Cell and Molecular Biology.

About Brain Research

Brain Research (http://journals.elsevier.com/00068993/brain-research/) publishes papers reporting interdisciplinary investigations of nervous system structure, function and chemistry at all levels of resolution, from molecular to behavioral and social that are of general interest to the broad community of neuroscientists. Clinical investigations, Protocols (i.e. methods papers) and Reviews will also be considered for publication if they provide significant insight into the structure or function of the nervous system, the pathophysiology of a disease, or its treatment.

The journal has recently launched its new website at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/brainres and is sponsoring a satellite event on The Emerging Neuroscience of Autism Spectrum Disorders: etiologic insights; treatment opportunities prior to the 2010 Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, 11-12th November 2010 http://www.brainresearch2010.com/.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com/) and Cell (http://www.cell.com/), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), SciVerse Scopus (http://www.scopus.com/), Reaxys (http://www.reaxys.com/), MD Consult (http://www.mdconsult.com/) and Nursing Consult ( http://www.nursingconsult.com/), which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite (http://www.scival.com/) and MEDai's Pinpoint Review (http://www.medai.com/), which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com/), employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (http://www.reedelsevier.com/), a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media Contact Felicity Simmonds +44-1865-843654 f.simmonds@elsevier.com

SOURCE: Elsevier

CONTACT: Media Contact: Felicity Simmonds, +44-1865-843654,f.simmonds@elsevier.com