It’s certainly true that all artists want their work recognized through publishing, but with scientific journals that doesn’t always happen. For each issue, journal editors must pick from multiple cover submissions from authors of other papers, thus it’s never guaranteed that the illustrators efforts see the light of day. All of these covers have been created for the scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri.
The journal covers that were published are noted.

Like the monograph covers in the AAFP portfolio, editorial illustration is used to visually summarize often complicated and challenging scientific concepts in a creative and attention-grabbing manner. Often allegory or metaphor stand in for hard science, which here takes a back seat to visual appeal. Concepts for journal covers are often a collaborative effort between scientist and artist.