With the 1990s already upon us, the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology will be taking on a new Editorial look for the coming decade. In 1971 when Dr. Henry W. Elliott was Editor, and when the Annual Review was known as Annual Review of Pharmacology, he sought two new Associate Editors to replace the retiring Drs. W. Cutting and R. Dreisbach. He recommended Dr. Robert George and Dr. Ronald Okun to fill these positions for reasons that the three were compatible during their research days in the Department of Pharmacology, UC San Francisco, in the mid-1950s and that they brought their expertise in neuropharmacology (George) and clinical pharmacology (Okun) to the Editorial Committee.

In 1976 the first edition of the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, appeared. This was followed by the untimely loss of Dr. Henry Elliott who died in 1977.

In order to maintain continuity in the Editorship, the Editorial Board appointed Drs. George and Okun as Co-editors who then recommended the appointment of Dr. Arthur K. Cho to Associate Editorship, particularly for his expertise in drug metabolism.

After serving as both Associate- and Co-Editors for 18 years Dr. Okun (1989) and Dr. George (1990) are retiring to make room for the new editorship that will consist of one Editor and three Associate Editors with the view of maintaining broad-based Editorial Committees. Starting with Volume 31, 1991, the following individuals, along with their areas of expertise, will serve as Editors of future volumes of Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Editor:

Dr. Arthur K. Cho (Pharmacokinetics)

Associate Editors:

Dr. Terence F. Blaschke (Clinical Pharmacology)

Dr. Horace H. Loh (Molecular Pharmacology)

Dr. James L. Way (Toxicology)

The Editors past and present have always made a concerted effort to project the areas of research that are new and important in both basic and clinical settings. There is no doubt that this will continue through the next decade. Both Drs. George and Okun wish to thank Annual Reviews Inc. for the opportunity to have served in their capacity as Editors. It was a pleasant and delightful experience. With special thanks to Mr. William Kaufmann, Editor-in-Chief, for his congeniality and organization of our meetings.

This preface would not be complete without giving many thanks to Professor E. Leong Way for his annual Review of Reviews. As he states in the present review it will be his last and we shall miss not only his reviews in the future but also his attendance as a regular, as well as guest appearances. And finally, as a retiring Co-Editor I shall miss meeting our expert new members who join the Editorial Committees, the interesting sites where the meetings are held, and especially the banquets that followed and always included gourmet food and drink. It has been an extremely scholarly and pleasant time well spent.

Robert George