From its humble beginnings in 1977, FEMS Microbiology Letters has flourished with the help of the microbiology community into what it is today. As a key contributor towards our research and meeting grants, Awards and Congress, Letters has been investing in science for 40 years.

In celebration of this milestone, Letters has produced a new Virtual Special Issue showcasing some of the faces behind the story of Letters. This Virtual Special Issue brings together the authors from six of the highest cited papers ever published in Letters to share their personal commentaries, as well as a celebratory editorial from FEMS CEO, Catherine Cotton and  FEMS Publications Manager, Jim Prosser.

And as ever, proceeds from Letters and the other FEMS journals will be channelled back into the discipline, both directly in the form of grants and indirectly through capacity building with our Member Societies, and initiatives such as our emerging Funding Network, which has so far contributed to 4 EU funding proposal pilots. So whether you’re a new PhD student, an established emeritus professor, or anything in between, we hope you will join us both in celebrating 40 years of FEMS Letters’ contribution to the microbiology community and in working towards another 40 years of investing in science.

Catherine Cotton and Jim Prosser

We invite you to explore this collection of personal stories from the people involved in Letters and to share your story of how Letters has impacted you. You can do this on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #LETTERS40 or email your stories to us. We will be sharing your stories on our website and during the Congress this July.

Get involved!