Scientific Publishing in the Life Sciences:

A Behind the Scenes View of Cell Press Journals

Katja Brose, PhD

Editor, Neuron
Executive Editor, Neuroscience-Cell Press
kbrose@cell.com
Overview of Talk

• Introduction to Cell Press and Neuron

• Writing and submitting a Paper
• Editorial Review Process:
What happens to a paper after submission
Reviews and decision Letters

• Cell Press in China

• Final Tips for Authors
Introduction to Cell Press and Neuron
The Cell Press Collection
Trends Reviews Journals
Cell Press Society Publishing

American Society of Human Genetics

Biophysical Society
Cell Press History
Cell founded in 1974 at MIT Press

Benjamin Lewin bought Cell in 1986: Cell Press is born

Over next 13 years, Cell Press launches 3 journals:

Neuron (1989), Immunity (1994), Molecular Cell (1997)

Elsevier buys Cell Press in April 1999

-acquired Current Biology, Structure, Chemistry & Biology

-launched Developmental Cell, Cancer Cell, Cell Metabolism,
Cell Stem Cell, Cell Host & Microbe
-merger with Trends journals in 2007
-Cell Press Society Journals:
AJHG (2008), Biophysical Journal (2009)
Cell Press Staff
Management Team:
Lynne Herndon (President and CEO)
Emilie Marcus (Executive Editor, VP Content Development)
Keith Wollman (VP Web Development and Operations)
Els Bosma (VP Marketing and Publishing)

105 people, based Cambridge

55 In-house PhD scientific Editors
In-house copy editing, production staff
Marketing and press office
Advertising and commercial sales
High Impact Publishing:
Top ranking in ISI impact factors
Primary journals 2008 IF Trends in…
in…. 2008 IF

Cell 31.2 Biochemical Sciences 14.1

Cancer Cell 24.9 Cell Biology 13.4
Immunity 20.6 Neuroscience 12.8
Cell Stem Cell 16.8 Ecology & Evolution 11.9
Cell Metabolism 16.1 Cognitive Sciences 11.0
Neuron 14.2 Molecular Medicine 9.6
Molecular Cell 12.9 Immunology 9.9
Developmental Cell 12.9 Pharmacological Sciences 9.3
Current Biology 10.8 Plant Science 9.2
Cell Host & Microbe 7.4 Genetics 8.7
Chemistry & Biology 5.6 Endocrinology & Metabolism 7.1
Structure 5.4 Biotechnology 6.6
Microbiology 6.1
American Journal of Human Genetics 10.1 Parasitology 4.7
Biophysical Journal 4.7
High Impact Publishing:
Press coverage
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www.cell.com
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Innovating the future of publishing

Article of the Future
My Background
and Role as Editor
Editor, Neuron
Executive Editor- Neuroscience Portfolio
(Neuron, TiNS, TiCS)

My background:
PhD in Biochemistry/Neuroscience-UCSF

Joined Cell Press in 2000 as Senior Editor at

Neuron

Appointed Editor of Neuron 2004, Executive

Editor-Neuroscience 2007

Responsible for the day-to-day management

and longer term strategic development of
Neuron and the Neuroscience Portfolio
team of 5 editors Neuron, 2 editors
Trends (TiNS, TiCS)
editorial assistant, production staff

Shen et al….Duan, S. Neuron May 2006

Writing and submitting a Paper
Writing and Submitting a Paper
• Before the paper gets written: doing the research
• Choosing a journal to submit to
• Preparing the manuscript
• The Cover Letter
A good research project:
The most important step to a strong paper

• Carefully consider the biological problem and question you

want to address

• Read the current literature to put your project into context

• Plan logically designed experiments

• Quality of the experiments is more important than quantity

• Critically assess your experiments and interpretations—

become your own “most critical reviewer”
Choosing a journal to submit to

• Read the journals in your field---which journals match the scope

and format of your study. Consider the journal’s “aims and scope”

• Does the journal publish broadly similar papers?

• Is the journal widely read by the people you want to see the
paper?

• If you are unsure consider sending a presubmission inquiry to the

journal to assess their interest

• Avoid Impact Factor or Citation Index obsession---impact factors

may matter but they should not be the only consideration for
submission
Preparing the Manuscript for
Submission
• Pay careful attention to the author guidelines, in particular to
formatting. Can use other papers in journal as a guide to style

• Present the paper as a logical story not just a chronological account

• Include a well-referenced Introduction and insightful Discussion to

place your findings into the broader context of the field

• When writing always think about your message: why are these
findings important for the field? What have we learned?

• Ask colleagues from your field AND from outside your field to read
and comment on your paper

• Seek language and editorial assistance if needed

Language
• No paper is every rejected because of language problems and
decisions are based on scientific merit

• If a paper’s language is difficult to follow, Editors may ask the

authors to rewrite or use a language editing service

• We strongly recommend authors to have a native english speaker

review their papers prior to submission

Recommendations from Elsevier for language editing services

at competitive rates:

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authorsview.authors/languagepolishing
Language Editing Services
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authorsview.authors/languagepolishing
Publishing Ethics for Authors
• Authors need to be aware of and adhere to publishing guidelines
and ethics.

Adherence to these guidelines is ESSENTIAL, as they underlie the

integrity of peer-reviewed scientific work.

• Issues that can arise and cause major problems:

Redundant publications (publishing same/similar data more than once)
Plagiarism
Data fabrication and falsification
Figure manipulation
Improper use of human subjects and animals in research
Improper author contribution

Author guidelines Cell Press:

http://www.cell.com/authors

Elsevier Ethical guidelines for Journal Publication:

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/intro.cws_home/ethical_guidelines
Preparing the Cover Letter:
An opportunity to present your paper to the Editors

• Cover letter gives you a chance to present the paper’s

significance directly to the Editor

• Use cover letter to explain the your question and why it’s
important

• May include reviewer suggestions and exclusions

• Include copies of related work submitted or in press

elsewhere
 Editorial Review Process:
What happens to a paper after submission
Editorial Structure at Cell Press

Cell Press journals are built on a collaborative structure:

Authors
Reviewers
Editorial Board
Editors
Publisher

The journal is a collaborative effort between all of these.

The overall goal is to serve the scientific community by disseminating

important advances and promoting interdisciplinary research.
Editorial Review Process:
What happens to a paper after submission

Each paper is carefully evaluated by an in-

house PhD Editor and editorial team to
determine whether to proceed with peer
review

Approximately 50-60% of submissions

proceed to peer review

If the paper is sent out for review, the editor

selects three reviewers

If the paper is declines without review, the

editor explains the decision in a decision
letter

Decisions are made quickly, 5 days for initial

review and 4 weeks for review

Final acceptance rate is approximately 15%

Editorial Review Process:
What do editors (and reviewers) look for in a paper

• Does the paper fall within the scope of the journal?

• What is the question being addressed and how does it relate

to the overall field of study?
Does the study ask an interesting and important question? Does it
change the way we think about a field, a process or a particular
issue in some way?

• How do the findings in the paper advance thinking in this

field?
We read previous literature on the topic and also read your
Introduction and Discussion to understand the context of the paper
Does the work provide insights into mechanism and if so, at what
level?

• Is the experimental design and interpretation sound?

• Is the paper well written and clear, accessible for a broad

readership?
Editorial Review Process:
How is a decision made when the reviews come in
• The Editor and editorial team will read and evaluate the reviews
carefully

• Editor may invite a revision or reject (“suggest submission

elsewhere”)

• Decision Letter will include the reviews and an explanation of the

decision---carefully read both the letter and the reviews

• Decisions are made based on the overall recommendations and

the decision is not a “vote”

• Editor may discuss the paper further with reviewers or experts to

clarify issues and decision
Editorial Review Process:
Reading the decision letter and possible next steps

• Read the reviews and decision letter carefully. Focus on the

scientific issues raised and aim for a constructive and
objective view of the reviews

• Did the Editor invite a revision or mention this option?

• For a revision, decide which criticisms can be addressed with

new experiments or with clarification. If there are questions
about how to approach the revision, contact the editor.

• For resubmission, outline your response to reviews and new

experiments in a point-by-point response letter.

• For a rejection, if you disagree with the reviews and decision

or can address the critiques, an appeal may be an option.

However, simply arguing the points is usually not effective

and new data is usually required. Be realistic---if the
reviewers have valid criticisms (even if you disagree) it is
usually not productive to appeal
Editorial Review Process:
Resubmission

If you are submitting a revised version, include a detailed, point-

by-point response of how you have responded to the reviewers’
(and the Editor’s, if relevant) comments.

The point-by-point response can include:

• New data to address or correct the criticisms highlighted by the

reviewers

• Text discussion to clarify or better discuss the point being raised

• Less frequently: you may state that the point has already has been
addressed, the reviewer has made a factual error, or the requested data
are outside the scope of the paper (but such arguments will need to
justified)
Editorial Review Process:
Example of a Point-by-point Response
Reviewer: “How is mtGTP doing its job stimulating GSIS? Are we dealing with
extracellular or intracellular Ca2+ stores and once that is clarified the actual
mechanisms should be provided. How is mitochondrial membrane potential
changing under the various experimental conditions?”

Author response: NEW EXPERIMENTS

The additional experiments added to this revised edition identify that the mtGTP
signal appears to act via regulation of mitochondrial energy utilization and may shift
metabolism from ATP production to mitochondrial calcium export.
a. Extra-cellular calcium is essential for the mtGTP signal (Fig. 5a).
b. Intramitochondrial calcium is trapped within the matrix in the absence of mtGTP
(Fig. 7b)
c. The mitochondrial membrane potential is spent when mtGTP is high andunspent
when mtGTP is low (Fig. 6c).

Reviewer: “…the Ca2+ signal looks rather delayed as well as modest and it is
difficult to reconcile such a response with the pronounced effect on insulin
release.”

Author response: CLARIFICATION

The calcium signal looks delayed in the kinetic studies because, as

mentioned, these experiments were performed at room temperature and not
in a thermostated environment.
Cell Press in China
Cell Press in China

numbers of submissions from China are still small (4% total), but
growing

submissions to Cell Press titles

China Total worldwide
2007 408 10,436
2008 538 11,640
2009** 362 8,326
(**first 8 months 2009)

reflective of small numbers, acceptance rate is also small (<5%)

2007 15
2008 22
2009** 8
(**first 8 months 2009)
Cell Press in China:
Submission relative to other countries

Submissions to Neuron 2008:

USA 980
Germany 180
UK 165
Japan 110
Canada 92
France 86
China 53
Italy 48
Switzerland 46
Israel 39
Spain 30
Australia 20
Korea 17
Taiwan 12
Sweden 14
Some Recent 2009 papers
from China

Cell Stem Cell

NEURON

Developmental Cell

Cell

Immunity
Molecular Cell
Final Tips for Authors
• A good project and strong science is the foundation for a good paper

• Take the time when planning your project to think about the question you
are asking and how best to address it experimentally

• Read the literature in your field— what are the questions and issues that the
field is interested in?

• Get feedback from colleagues in your field and colleagues from outside your
field---attend meetings and seminars, participate in journal clubs

Test your ideas and get feedback. Be your own most critical reviewer!

• Communication: pay attention to the way you present your story

• Consider how to match your paper to the right journal

 Thanks and Questions?

Find out more online author workshops at www.paperpub.com.cn