Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), and also a respected researcher in the field of gastroenterology, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of Gastroenterology recently.

As the most prominent journal in the field of gastrointestinal disease (diseases of, among others, the stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum), Gastroenterology is ranked 1st of 78 journals in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology category on the 2015 Journal Citation Reports, published by Thomson Reuters.

It delivers up-to-date and authoritative coverage of both basic and clinical gastroenterology and also bridges the gap between basic and clinical science by publishing comprehensive reviews and perspectives on important topics such as pancreatitis and liver disease.

"It is a great honour and privilege to have been appointed to the Advisory Board of such a prestigious and authoritative journal. It affords me the opportunity to not only be involved in the advancement of this important field of study, but also to stay abreast of the latest developments in the area," said De Villiers.

According to Rick Peek, the Editor in Chief of Gastroenterology, the journal continues to be the world's most highly utilized/cited journal in the specialties of gastroenterology and hepatology, and is now one of the most highly cited specialty journals in any field.

Peek said they hope that De Villiers, a former Head of Gastroenterology at the University of Kentucky in the USA, can be a beacon for Gastroenterology, help increase awareness about what it offers and encourage SU researchers to submit their best work to the Journal.

• Visit www.gastrojournal.org/loi/ygast for more on Gastroenterology.