In 2024, many CDT authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.Outstanding Authors (2024)
Sarah M. Bernhard, Bienna Hospital Center, Switzerland
Amin Daoulah, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Saudi Arabia
Outstanding Author
Sarah M. Bernhard
Sarah M. Bernhard is an attending physician at the vascular centers of the university hospital in Bern and at the vascular center of the Bienna Hospital Center in Switzerland. She studied in Berlin (Germany) and obtained her qualifications in internal medicine and in vascular medicine/angiology in Switzerland. Her research focuses on vascular diseases with a focus on endovascular treatment strategies, but her main field of research is congenital vascular malformations. In translational research projects, she aims to identify new therapeutic targets to enable advances in personalized targeted therapies. In clinical trials, she aims to establish patient-reported and radiological outcome-measures and to assess safety and efficacy of targeted therapies for congenital vascular malformations.
To Dr. Bernhard, the most important element of a good academic paper is a captivating idea or question attending to a scientific need. The research question should be assessed by robust methods, of which the limitations should be critically discussed in detail. These limitations should also reflect in the conclusions drawn from the results. Lastly, the whole paper from the research question over methods, results and conclusions should be an understandable and well-written story.
From Dr. Bernhard’s perspective, it is important to stick to reporting guidelines (e.g. STROBE, PRISMA and CARE) as they serve as guidance and checklists to ensure all relevant information is included. This does not only help to structure the paper, but also increases transparency and credibility amongst other researchers. Furthermore, these guidelines are also helpful in the early planning process of a research project, as they help to reflect on potential weaknesses and pitfalls of the study design.
Lastly, Dr. Bernhard would like to say a few words to encourage her peers, “Try to find a good mentor. Take a step at a time. When preparing a manuscript, think about why you are passionate about the subject and how you would like to transfer this passion to an audience. This is how you should start your scientific manuscript. To reach a broad audience, you need to tell a captivating and concise story, that is understandable, not only for experts in your field of research, but also for the broader scientific community.”
(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)
Amin Daoulah
Dr. Amin Daoulah is a consultant cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. He is a researcher with over 45 publications. He has collaborated with fellow expert cardiologists across the Gulf Cooperation Council. Currently, Dr. Daoulah is working on three registries from six Gulf countries, including Gulf Cardiogenic Shock Registry, Gulf Chronic Total Occlusion of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions Registry, and Gulf Upgrade Study (Predictors of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Requirement in Patients Receiving Pacemaker). Connect with Dr. Daoulah on Instagram, Facebook, and ResearchGate.
In Dr. Daoulah’s opinion, the best academic papers come with a clear purpose and combine organization and concise writing to keep the readers engaged. Good papers should have solid literature reviews, sound methodology, and well-executed data analysis. The critical thinking and discussion components of any academic paper are where scientists derive changes in practice and forward-thinking for future research.
From Dr. Daoulah’s perspective, academic writing can be challenging for many reasons. Some of the most difficult aspects are time management and maintaining motivation. He explains, “Writing occurs throughout a project and balancing research, writing, and other responsibilities can be tiring. Additionally, academic writers must maintain resilience while dealing with feedback, revisions, language barriers, and moments of writers’ block. Overcoming these challenges and seeing a publication come to fruition are fantastic.”
“What I find fascinating is how academic writing feels like its own unique language. For years, we design, collaborate, gather data, and interpret complex ideas that are challenging to understand individually. We take this multi-dimensional information, translate it, and transcribe it into a collection of words and numbers that go on to the readers in the hope they will utilize our writing to change the lives of their patients for the best. This unique language of academic writing underscores the significance of our work,” says Dr. Daoulah.
(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)