Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

The main focus of EMBnet.journal is on the latest developments in bioinformatics research, in tools and resources, in training and education, and in standards and best practice.

Combining peer-reviewed articles with practical user-guides, reports and commentaries, the Journal welcomes submissions from all areas of the life sciences that use, develop and implement bioinformatics tools and techniques.

The scope of EMBnet.journal covers, but is not limited to:
  • Bioinformatics, proteomics and genomics research and reviews
  • Pattern recognition and prediction
  • Molecular modelling and simulation
  • Design and implementation of new bioinformatics tools
  • High-throughput data analysis
  • Database technology and design
  • Database management and data curation
  • Tool and data integration
  • High performance computing
  • Software/database implementation user-guides
  • Tutorials, activities, lesson plans
  • Reviews of education/training programmes, curricula, learning methodologies
  • Perspectives on best practices in training and education

EMBnet.journal Editors invite proposals for publication of Special Issues focusing on 'hot' topics that fall within the scope of the journal. Special Issues would be expected to attract high-quality articles from recognised experts in the field. Proposals may be made throughout the year, and should be submitted to embnet.journal@embnet.org.

EMBnet.journal publishes also Conference proceedings and meeting abstracts as Supplements. All articles published in supplements are subject to peer review and are free to access online.

 

Section Policies

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editors (max. 4 formatted pages) may include, for example:

  • news highlights concerning major publications on bioinformatics, research and education;
  • spotlights on tools and databases, algorithms, learning methodologies, training resources, etc.;
  • news highlights relating to high-impact bioinformatics and computational biology studies;
  • spotlights on key challenges in life science research that require support from the bioinformatics/computational biology research and/or training communities (and that could, for example, lead to or solicit community action and/or joint funding proposals).

Editors
  • Domenica D'Elia
  • Lubos Klucar
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

News

News (max. 1 formatted pages) may include, but is not limited to:

  • conference/workshop announcements;
  • training programmes, training schools, tutorial/course announcements;
  • software/database/product announcements/advertisements (only open source - commercial ads will carry a publishing charge, by arrangement with the editors);
  • book reviews;
  • EMBnet and/or sister Society/Network news features;
  • EMBnet and/or sister Society/Network people news.

Editors
  • Domenica D'Elia
  • Lubos Klucar
Checked Open Submissions Unchecked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

Reports

Reports (max. 2 formatted pages) may be articles on, for example:

  • minor updates of bioinformatics tools, databases, and so on (descriptions of major updates should be published in the appropriate peer-reviewed section - i.e., Technical Notes);
  • brief descriptions of EMBnet and/or sister Society/Network AGMs, conferences, workshops, international projects and community activities (more complete descriptions of AGMs and Society/Network conferences may be published as Supplements);
  • reports on EMBnet and/or sister Society/Network courses that may be relevant to the bioinformatics community as a whole;
  • reports on bioinformatics training programmes or training experience;
  • progress reports from EMBnet nodes, collaborative projects/networks/initiatives.

Editors
  • Domenica D'Elia
  • Lubos Klucar
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

Technical Notes

Technical Notes (max. 3 formatted pages) may be articles on, for example:

  • new or modified bioinformatics tools, databases, Web services, workflows, ontologies, and so on;
  • new or modified tools or instruments that facilitate bioinformatics education and training;
  • user-guides on bioinformatics tools and resources;
  • new or modified training methodologies and techniques;
  • tutorials, case studies, problem-solving activities and game-based training strategies.

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Reviews

Reviews (max. 10 formatted pages) may be on:

  • bioinformatics databases, analytical tools and services;
  • bioinformatics training methodologies, programmes and training experiences.

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Research Papers

Research Articles (max. 6 formatted pages) may include, for example:

  • new strategies, methodologies or protocols that help to manage and analyse data, particularly from high-throughput platforms (next-generation sequencing, microarrays, etc.);
  • development of standards or implementation of best practices in software and/or data analysis, annotation and archiving;
  • learning methodologies and assessment;
  • open-source training tools and resources.

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Book Reviews

Book Reviews (max. 2 formatted pages). The journal welcomes reviews on books in the related fields of bioinformatics, computational biology, biocuration, biocomputing, biostatistics, etc. We invite you either to:

  • request a free hard copy and provide a review for any book listed in our Books For Review database; or
  • submit a review of any other book that may be of interest to those in the field, whether dealing with themes in research and development, or education or training.
All book reviews will go through internal peer review; authors will be notified immediately upon acceptance.

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed
 

Publication Frequency

EMBnet.journal provides fast online publication for its articles. Individual articles are published as soon as they are ready and added to the current open volume. New volumes are open at the beginning of each year.

We are accepting manuscripts for review and publication and look forward to receiving your contributions and feedback.

 

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

 

Archiving

This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. More...

 

Criteria for Publication

Manuscripts to be considered for publication in EMBnet journal must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Originality and innovation
  • High relevance to researchers and practitioners in the field
  • Significant methodological/technological insight
  • Robust contextual importance and rigorous methodology
  • Substantial evidence for its conclusions

 

Pre-submission Inquiries

Authors unsure whether their work meets the Journal’s publication criteria are welcome to make pre-submission inquiries. Simply email to the Erik Bongcam-Rudloff (embnet.journal@embnet.org), Editor in Chief, providing contact details of the corresponding author and an abstract.

Pre-submission inquiries will be dealt with as quickly as possible. If the response is an invitation to submit your manuscript, the article will be submitted for external peer review (unless the submission is a news item, a short report or letter to the editor).

 

Article Processing Charges

No article processing charge currently apply.

Publication charges for articles in Special Issues and  for Supplements are set by special arrangement with the organisers of the issue. For further information please contact us: embnet.journal@embnet.org.

 

Competing interests

Competing interests field must be filled for all the authors (see CI Policy); use the word none if no CI are declared.