Interview with Professor Robert Peter Gale

This interview, published in the News and Views section of LabMed Discovery, features Professor Robert Peter Gale, a globally recognized hematologist and Editor-in-Chief of Leukemia. The discussion explores his views on several key topics in hematology, AI, publishing, and global collaboration.

1. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML):

Prof. Gale discusses his simplified CML staging model that merges “accelerated phase” into categories based on blood markers, aligning with the 2022 WHO classification. His research shows similar survival rates between patients in accelerated and chronic phases depending on specific blood abnormalities.

2. Radiation and Leukemia:

He clarifies that radiation-induced leukemia (from Chernobyl or Fukushima exposure) is difficult to distinguish from naturally occurring leukemia at the molecular level. There is no unique genetic marker for radiation-induced leukemias, making diagnosis and attribution uncertain.

3. Therapeutic Advances:

While CAR-T cell therapies and epigenetic drugs show promise, their cost and customization are major barriers. He foresees universal CAR-T cells and CAR-NK/NKT variants as the next frontier, potentially making treatments more scalable and accessible.

4. China’s Role in Research Publishing:

China leads in high-impact basic science publications but struggles with clinical research visibility. He attributes this gap to language barriers, manuscript quality, and writing issues. Improving scientific communication and editorial standards is essential for broader recognition.

5. Skills for Young Scientists:

Publishing success requires more than strong data. Prof. Gale emphasizes the importance of understanding editorial priorities (clarity, conciseness, citation potential) and encourages “Publishing Literacy” programs to bridge the gap between researchers and editors.

6. AI in Publishing:

AI tools like ChatGPT can assist with grammar, clarity, and formatting, but cannot replace human accountability in scientific writing. Generative content creation by AI is not acceptable for scientific manuscripts under current policies.

7. Open Access and Equity:

He advocates for open access but recognizes the financial complexities. Prof. Gale suggests models where consortia or universities subsidize publication fees, allowing authors from low-income regions to publish without cost while ensuring journal sustainability.

8. Data Sharing and Ethics:

He firmly supports mandatory data sharing to uphold scientific reproducibility, while calling for careful privacy protections for patient data.

Conclusion:

This interview is a feature story, offering expert opinions rather than peer-reviewed findings. It provides valuable insight into the current and future state of hematology, scientific publishing, AI, and global research collaboration through the lens of a highly experienced academic leader.