Article types
| Type | Length (words, approx.) | Abstract |
|---|---|---|
| Original Research Article | 3,000 – 7,000 | ≤ 250 words |
| Review Article | 4,000 – 9,000 | ≤ 250 words |
| Short Communication | 1,500 – 3,000 | ≤ 150 words |
| Case Study / Methodological Note | 2,000 – 4,000 | ≤ 200 words |
| Letter / Commentary | ≤ 1,500 | Not required |
Preparing your manuscript
Files
- Title page (separate file): title; all authors' full names, affiliations, email addresses and ORCID iDs; the corresponding author; author contributions, funding and conflict-of-interest statements.
- Anonymised manuscript (Word .docx, or LaTeX with a PDF): no author names or identifying acknowledgements, so that review can be double-blind.
- Figures (≥ 300 dpi), tables (editable) and any supplementary files.
Structure
Title; abstract; 4–6 keywords; Introduction; Materials and Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusion; Declarations; References. Reviews may use a structure suited to the topic.
Style
- English (UK or US, used consistently); Times New Roman 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, with line numbers.
- SI units; define abbreviations at first use; italicise species and gene names.
- References in Vancouver (numbered) or APA 7 style, consistently, with DOIs wherever they exist. Cite primary and recent sources; avoid excessive self-citation.
Declarations (required)
- Ethics: approval number and committee for studies on humans or animals; informed consent where applicable.
- Authorship: each author's contribution (CRediT roles are recommended).
- Funding and conflicts of interest, or a statement that there are none.
- Data availability: where the underlying data can be obtained.
- Use of AI tools: any use of generative AI in writing or analysis — see the AI policy.
What you will need
- Full name, email, institution, country and (ideally) ORCID iD for every author, and a phone number for the corresponding author.
- Names, institutional emails and affiliations of at least two independent reviewers you suggest (not co-authors, recent collaborators or colleagues at your institution).
- The anonymised manuscript file and a separate title page; figures and supplementary files if any.
- Ethics approval details (if your study involves humans or animals), and your conflict-of-interest, funding, data-availability and AI-use statements.
The online submission has seven steps. You can save your progress at any time and continue later.
How to submit
Create an account
Register as an author on the editorial system with your affiliation and ORCID iD.
Upload your files
Upload the anonymised manuscript and the title page, and complete the declarations.
Screening and review
The editorial office checks scope and similarity, then sends the manuscript to at least two reviewers.
Decision and publication
After acceptance and payment of the APC, the article is typeset, assigned a DOI and published online.
Submit via the Editorial System
First time submitting to a journal? Read the guide for first-time authors.