- Aims and Scope
- Open access · CC BY 4.0
Aims and Scope
The International Journal of Translational Research publishes translational research from mechanism to clinical application, with a biological or mechanistic basis.
What the journal is for
- To publish rigorous translational research that carries a biological or mechanistic finding toward clinical application.
- To bring together work from the laboratory, the clinic and the population, so that mechanistic findings inform diagnosis, treatment and prevention, and clinical observations inform mechanistic questions.
- To make that research freely available, with clear methods and transparent peer review practices.
From mechanism to clinical application
IJTR considers translational research at every stage from mechanism to clinical application, including the research areas below. The areas are illustrative, not exhaustive, and a topic not named here is considered on its merits. Manuscripts should have a biological or mechanistic basis and show a clear route toward clinical application.
- MECHANISM
Disease mechanisms
Molecular, cellular and physiological studies of disease biology, signaling pathways, genetics and target identification.
- MODEL
Experimental models
Cell and tissue culture, organoids, animal models and computational models used to test mechanisms and candidate interventions.
- BIOMARKER
Biomarkers and diagnostics
Discovery, analytical validation and clinical validation of biomarkers for risk, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment response.
- THERAPEUTIC
Therapeutics
Preclinical and clinical evaluation of drugs, biologics, devices, cell and gene therapies and other interventions.
- CLINIC / POPULATION
Clinical and population translation
Observational and interventional studies, implementation research and health-systems studies that apply a mechanistic finding to patient care.
Examples of topics
- Disease mechanisms and target identification
- Genomics, proteomics and other omics for patient stratification
- Disease models, organoids and humanized systems
- Biomarker discovery and validation
- Drug, biologic and vaccine development
- Cell and gene therapy
- Diagnostics and medical devices
- Early-phase and pragmatic clinical studies that test a mechanistic hypothesis
- Data science and computational methods for translation
Contributions from the biomedical, clinical, laboratory, behavioral, data and computational sciences are welcome when they address a translational question.
What the journal publishes
Requirements for each type are set out in the Instructions for Authors.
- Original Research
- Empirical studies in the laboratory, the clinic or the population, using quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods.
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Systematic syntheses of evidence on a defined translational question, with or without meta-analysis.
- Methods and Protocols
- New, adapted or validated methods, assays, models and study protocols.
- Short Communication
- Concise reports of a focused or preliminary finding.
- Data Note
- Concise descriptions of a dataset, with its collection methods and its potential for reuse.
- Commentary
- Reasoned, evidence-based arguments on a current question in translational research.
- Case Report
- Reports of an individual patient or a small series that include a translational component, such as a mechanistic, biomarker or therapeutic insight. Case reports without a translational component are not accepted.
Where a manuscript sits between types, authors choose the closest type and explain the choice in the cover letter.
How manuscripts are assessed
Manuscripts are assessed for their translational relevance, the soundness of their methods, the quality of reporting and whether their conclusions are proportionate to the evidence. Laboratory, translational and clinical studies are assessed on the same criteria.
Single-blind by default; double-blind review is available on request.
If you are unsure whether a topic fits, send the title and abstract to the editorial office at [email protected] before submitting.
Submit a manuscript to IJTR
Please read the Instructions for Authors and the Editorial Policies before submitting. The article processing charge of USD 1,200 is payable only after acceptance; withdrawal after submission is subject to the journal's withdrawal policy.