In 2026, many JOVS 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 (2026)

Sophie Beukers, St. Antonius Hospital, the Netherlands

Yosuke Miyachi, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Japan

Massimo Baudo, Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, USA

Kumiko Hashimoto, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Japan

Hiroki Ebana, Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital, Japan

Outstanding Author

Sophie Beukers

Dr. Sophie Beukers is a resident in cardiothoracic surgery at St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. Her research focuses on innovation in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Currently, she is the study coordinator of the SAFE-CAB trial, evaluating a novel anastomotic device for distal coronary anastomoses and its potential use in minimally invasive surgery. In addition, she is analyzing sex-related differences in operative strategy and outcomes in CABG, with a focus on multi-arterial grafting, using data from the national cardiothoracic surgery registry. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Dr. Beukers believes that academic writing is vital for sharing new insights, techniques, and technologies in a structured and reproducible manner. Video articles add an important dimension, as they provide direct visual insight into procedural steps. Traditionally, new techniques were learned by observing experienced surgeons in selected cases, which is time-consuming and not always accessible, especially for urgent and emergent procedures. Academic and video-based platforms enhance efficiency and accessibility for both novice and experienced surgeons.

Dr. Beukers emphasizes the importance of sharing data upon reasonable request. Access to the underlying data fosters a deeper understanding of study populations and methodologies. It increases transparency, especially in an age where sponsor-initiated research is expanding rapidly, and allows others to validate findings reported by trials and assess their applicability in daily practice.

“When I started in research, I underestimated the time and persistence required to design a study, collect data, and complete the publication process. It can be demanding, especially when combined with clinical training. My main advice would be to stay consistent and finish what you start. At the same time, do not hesitate to involve more experienced colleagues. Research is rarely an individual effort, and their input improves both the quality and efficiency of your work,” says Dr. Beukers.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Yosuke Miyachi

Dr. Yosuke Miyachi completed his PhD in the Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic and Transplant Surgery at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine. After obtaining his doctoral degree, he joined St. Luke’s International Hospital, where he currently practices. His primary specialty is hepato-biliary-pancreatic (HBP) surgery. In addition, he is also engaged in general surgery and acute care surgery, and he dedicates himself to daily clinical practice across these fields.

JOVS: How to ensure one’s writing is critical?

Dr. Miyachi: In clinical research, I believe it is unrealistic to claim that one approach is absolutely correct or definitively superior to another. Even if I consider option A to be better than option B, there are always potential drawbacks or limitations associated with that choice. Therefore, it is important not only to reflect critically on my own work, but also to actively seek critical feedback from colleagues and trusted peers. Encouraging others to provide constructive criticism is, in my view, an effective way to develop a manuscript with strong critical thinking.

JOVS: Is it important for authors to disclose Conflict of Interest (COI)?

Dr. Miyachi: Yes, I believe that disclosing COI is extremely important in academic research. Transparency is essential to maintain trust in scientific findings. Even when researchers strive to remain objective, COI can introduce both conscious and unconscious biases that may influence study design, data interpretation, and reporting. For this reason, appropriate disclosure allows readers to better understand the context of the research and to interpret the results more fairly and critically.

JOVS: Academic writing takes a lot of time and effort. What motivates you to do so?

Dr. Miyachi: During the period as a graduate student, my primary motivation for academic writing was to build my track record through publications. However, my perspective has gradually evolved. Currently, I am motivated by the desire to contribute, even in a small way, to the advancement of medicine through my daily clinical practice. I also hope that my work may provide useful insights or practical guidance for surgeons who are facing similar clinical challenges.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Massimo Baudo

Massimo Baudo currently serves as Research Professor at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, where he focuses his investigative work mainly on clinical original studies and meta-analyses. His research portfolio centers on valve surgery and transcatheter valvular intervention, surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation, and surgical coronary revascularization. In particular, his current research examines outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation and robotic coronary artery bypass grafting. This work aims to generate robust evidence in these rapidly evolving fields. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

A good academic paper, in Dr. Baudo’s view, rests on a clearly defined research question, which serves as the backbone of the whole manuscript. From this central idea, all other elements of the paper emerge, starting with a methodology rigorous enough to answer it. Another important component is the discussion, which interprets the results honestly rather than overstating their significance.

Dr. Baudo indicates that authors must keep the target journal's scope and readership in mind from the outset, since this dictates the appropriate depth of technical detail and framing. They should anticipate peer review by stress-testing their own arguments for weaknesses before submission, rather than relying on reviewers to identify them: prevention is the best cure, and also the best way to challenge one's own ideas. Finally, while preparing a paper, an adequate amount of time should be dedicated to each section, as rushing would only be detrimental.

“I choose to publish in JOVS primarily because of the journal's educational mission, which relies on visual and procedural content to convey surgical technique in a way that text-based journals cannot replicate. JOVS covers a broad range of surgical domains, including the areas I currently work in, and this format is particularly well suited to disseminating technical details, intraoperative decision-making, and procedural variations that are otherwise difficult to convey. The journal's emphasis on shared surgical expertise aligns with a broader, forward-looking model of surgical education, one that prioritizes reproducibility and direct transmission of technique across institutions,” says Dr. Baudo.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Kumiko Hashimoto

Dr. Kumiko Hashimoto, MD, is the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Japan. After graduating from the Graduate School of Medicine at Oita University in 2009, she completed her surgical training at Nagoya City University Hospital, Anjo Kosei Hospital, and Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital. She later served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Nagoya University before joining Toyohashi Municipal Hospital in 2019. Her clinical practice covers a wide range of thoracic diseases, including lung malignancies, mediastinal tumors, pneumothorax, empyema, and chest trauma. Her main research interest is minimally invasive thoracic surgery, particularly uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) and uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (U-RATS). Following a fellowship visit to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital in 2020, she introduced U-VATS and subsequently performed a U-RATS using the da Vinci Xi system. Her current work focuses on refining and standardizing uniportal robotic techniques.

JOVS: What are the qualities an author should possess?

Dr. Hashimoto:I believe that one of the most important qualities an author should possess is a genuine desire to improve patient care. In clinical practice, we are constantly challenged to ask whether a procedure can be performed more safely, whether the burden on patients can be reduced, and whether better outcomes can be achieved. Such questions often become the starting point for research and innovation. For me, research is not driven by curiosity alone, but by a responsibility to continually seek better solutions for our patients. At the same time, meaningful progress is rarely achieved in isolation. We learn from the experiences of surgeons around the world through publications and scientific meetings, and we refine our ideas through discussions with colleagues, allied healthcare professionals, and industry partners. These diverse perspectives often lead to improvements that would not have been possible individually. I also believe that sharing knowledge is an essential responsibility of an author. In surgery, even a small technical refinement or clinical insight may help other surgeons and ultimately benefit their patients. Academic writing is therefore not only a means of reporting results, but also a way of exchanging experience, fostering collaboration, and advancing patient care together.

JOVS: The burden of being a scientist/doctor is heavy. How do you allocate time to write papers?

Dr. Hashimoto:For me, research and clinical practice are closely intertwined rather than separate activities. Many of my research questions arise from daily clinical practice, where small observations, challenges, and innovations often become the starting points for future studies. For this reason, I routinely record clinical findings, ideas for improvement, and unexpected outcomes in our patient database, even when they seem minor at the time. Over the years, these observations often develop into presentations at scientific meetings and eventually into manuscripts. I am particularly interested in understanding whether the approaches we believe to be beneficial truly improve patient outcomes, and whether there are common factors underlying cases that do not progress as expected. Analyzing clinical data often feels like finding answers to questions that emerge from everyday practice. It is a rewarding process, especially when it leads to new insights or challenges existing assumptions. To me, academic writing is not separate from clinical work, but a natural extension of the effort to provide better patient care. Even during busy clinical periods, the discovery of a meaningful finding or an unexpected result often renews my motivation to conduct research and write. I hope that the knowledge gained through these efforts will ultimately benefit both future patients and healthcare professionals.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Hiroki Ebana

Dr. Hiroki Ebana is the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. His clinical practice covers a wide range of thoracic diseases, including lung cancer, pneumothorax and cystic lung diseases, thoracic infections, chest trauma, and interventional procedures. During his graduate training, he was also involved in basic research. His current academic interests focus on minimally invasive thoracic surgery, particularly uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (Uniportal VATS) and reduced-port robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS). He developed neoDRATS (non-assistant help operation in dual-portal RATS), an original reduced-port robotic technique that enables console-surgeon-driven lung retraction and robotic stapling while utilizing all four robotic arms. More recently, he has applied minimally invasive approaches, including Uniportal VATS and neoDRATS, to lung cancer surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. He is also actively involved in surgical education through operative videos and online platforms, as well as national and international collaborative activities. Learn more about Dr. Ebana through his homepage and Youtube channel.

JOVS: What do you regard as a good academic paper?

Dr. Ebana: I believe that a good academic paper is one that contributes to improving patient care and inspires further innovation. In thoracic surgery, valuable papers should not only present scientific findings but also provide practical insights that other surgeons can apply in their daily practice. This is particularly important for surgical technique papers, where reproducibility and educational value are essential. In addition, I believe that high-quality surgical videos are important educational resources. Beyond written manuscripts, videos allow surgeons to share operative workflows, technical nuances, and troubleshooting strategies that are often difficult to fully convey in text alone. By complementing each other, academic papers and surgical videos can promote a deeper understanding of surgical techniques and facilitate their broader dissemination. Ultimately, a good paper is one that stimulates discussion, generates new ideas, and leads to better surgical outcomes for patients.

JOVS: What are the most commonly encountered difficulties in academic writing?

Dr. Ebana: One of the greatest challenges in academic writing is finding the time and energy to transform daily clinical experience into scientific knowledge while maintaining a busy surgical practice. In addition, describing a new surgical technique or concept can be particularly challenging because the concept itself often continues to evolve during the writing process. Organizing these ideas and presenting them in a way that is understandable, reproducible, and meaningful to readers around the world requires considerable effort. Another important challenge is securing sufficient research funding to sustain high-quality clinical research and educational activities. In Japan, obtaining research funding while balancing demanding clinical responsibilities is often a significant hurdle for surgeon-scientists. However, these challenges are also what make academic work rewarding. I believe that generating new knowledge through multicenter and international collaborations and sharing it with the global community through scientific publications are both meaningful and essential for advancing our field.

JOVS: What is fascinating about academic writing?

Dr. Ebana: Academic writing allows a surgeon’s individual experience to be transformed into shared knowledge that can benefit patients beyond a single institution or national border. One of the most rewarding aspects of academic publishing is the possibility that an idea born in a single operating room may eventually contribute to surgical practice and education around the world. The opportunity to share knowledge, inspire innovation, and improve patient care on a broader scale is what makes academic writing so meaningful. For me, writing scientific papers is not merely a way to document clinical experience. It is also an opportunity to reflect on my own practice, refine new concepts, and connect with colleagues and friends throughout the global surgical community.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)