In 2025, VATS reviewers continue to make outstanding contributions to the peer review process. They demonstrated professional effort and enthusiasm in their reviews and provided comments that genuinely help the authors to enhance their work.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding reviewers, with a brief interview of their thoughts and insights as a reviewer. Allow us to express our heartfelt gratitude for their tremendous effort and valuable contributions to the scientific process.
January, 2025
Margherita Cattaneo, IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy
January, 2025
Margherita Cattaneo
Dr. Margherita Cattaneo earned her medical degree from the University of Milan in 2015 and completed her residency in Thoracic Surgery at the same institution in 2021.
Currently, she works at the Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplant Unit of the IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, where she is involved in both oncological and transplant programs, especially in lung procurement and EVLP. From 2022-2024, she was also a research fellow at the University of Milan, participating in clinical and pre-clinical research projects in lung transplantation and EVLP fields. In addition, Dr. Cattaneo has experience in scientific publishing, with numerous articles published in international journals; she is also an active speaker, having participated in several conferences and seminars, and has contributed to collaborative research projects. She is also a member of the European and the Italian Thoracic Surgery Societies. Learn more about her here.
VATS: What do you regard as a healthy peer-review system?
Dr. Cattaneo: Transparency, impartiality, and accountability are mandatory to keep a healthy peer-review system. The peer-review process should maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and the reviewers’ identity: this encourages honest and unbiased feedback without fear of retribution. Moreover, I think it is very important to enlist reviewers with diverse expertise to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the manuscripts and enhance the review process by incorporating multiple perspectives.
VATS: What reviewers have to bear in mind while reviewing papers?
Dr. Cattaneo: Reviewers should provide constructive, detailed, and respectful feedback that helps authors improve their work; constructive criticism is key to advancing the quality of research. I think the most important aspect that reviewers have to check is the accuracy of statistical analysis, ensuring the reliability of the data presented; moreover, they have to check on proper citations and the absence of plagiarism.
VATS: Peer reviewing is often anonymous and non-profitable, what motivates you to do so?
Dr. Cattaneo: Reviewers should be free from conflicts of interest and should evaluate submissions based on their scientific merit, without bias. This ensures that all research is judged fairly, regardless of the author's identity or affiliation. Along these lines, a peer-review system can effectively uphold the quality and credibility of scientific research, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in a meaningful and impactful way. Being part of this fundamental aspect of scientific research is what motivates me to participate in this peer-review system.
(by Lareina Lim, Brad Li)
