Proto, a prefix of progress, connotes first, novel, experimental. Alone, it conjures an entire world of the new: discoveries, directions, ideas. In taking proto as its name, this magazine stakes its ground on medicine’s leading edge—exploring breakthroughs, dissecting controversies and opening a forum for informed debate.

Proto was launched in 2005 as an effort to widen the reach of medical discoveries and extend the debate on medical topics. A high standard for scientific reporting was its goal from the outset. While Massachusetts General Hospital founded the magazine and serves as a launching pad for many stories, Proto covers important news wherever it happens.