Overview:
The SRS has announced René M Castelein, M.D., Ph.D., as new Editor-in-Chief for Spine Deformity Journal.
The Scoliosis Research Society has announced that René M Castelein, M.D., Ph.D., has accepted the role of Editor-in-Chief for the prestigious Spine Deformity Journal, replacing the current Editor-in-Chief, John Lonstein, M.D. Dr. Castelein, who has contributed to the Scoliosis Research Society for more than 20 years, has served as chair of the Academic Orthopedic Department at the University of Utrecht for more than 20 years.
Dr. Castelein conducted his fellowship with one of the founders of the Scoliosis Research Society, G. Dean MacEwen, M.D., and has published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, 150 of these specific to scoliosis. He has supervised more than 30 Ph.D. theses, many on scoliosis. He authored more than 10 chapters for medical textbooks, including a chapter in “Idiopathic Scoliosis: The Harms Study Group Treatment Guide 2nd Edition.”
In 2019, he was the invited Harrington Lecturer at the Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting in Montréal with the topic “Dropping the “I” in AIS, What will it Take?” This invitation-only lectureship was established as a tribute to Scoliosis Research Society founding fellow, Dr. Paul R. Harrington (1911-1980). In 2020, he was Knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion from His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, for contributions to science and society, the highest non-military distinction in the Netherlands.
“I am honored with this important position, and I will perform this task with utmost commitment and energy,” said Dr. Castelein. “Dr. Lonstein has done a tremendous job in getting the Journal from the start to its present, highly respected position in the whole arena of different spine journals.”
Describing his background to OTW, Dr. Castelein noted, “I have years of involvement with the Scoliosis Research Society, as well as years of experience as a surgeon-scientist with a great interest in the best possible treatment of spinal deformities as well as an interest in understanding their etiology, and mechanism of initiation and progression. I strongly believe that only if we truly understand what is happening, we can improve treatment.”
“I am being guided by people more experienced than me; I meet regularly with Dr. Lonstein and talk to (but more specifically listen to) as many people as possible who are involved in the Journal. I look forward to interacting with people that share the same passion about research into spinal deformities. I hope we will witness great steps forward in understanding the true lifetime burden of disease of these conditions, while trying to keep the spine as mobile as possible as we prevent the progression of deformity.”
