Editorial Policies
1. Overview
Journal of Cancer Biomoleculars and Therapeutics (ISSN: 3060-8856, JCBT) follows the guidelines of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).
Submission of a manuscript to JCBT implies that all authors have read and agreed to its content and that the manuscript conforms to the JCBT’s policies.
2. Ethics and Consent
2.1 Ethics Approval
Research involving human participants, human materials, or human data must be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and must receive approval from an appropriate ethics committee. A statement detailing this approval, including the name of the ethics committee and the reference number (where applicable), must be included in all manuscripts reporting such research. If a study has been exempted from requiring ethics approval, this exemption must also be detailed in the manuscript, including the name of the ethics committee that granted the exemption. Further documentation supporting this exemption should be made available to the Editor upon request. Manuscripts may be rejected if the Editor determines that the research was not conducted within an appropriate ethical framework. In rare cases, the Editor may contact the ethics committee for further clarification.
2.2 Consent for Publication
For all studies involving human subjects, informed consent must be obtained from participants or, in the case of children under the age of 16, from their parents or legal guardians. A statement regarding consent to participate should be included in the manuscript within the Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate section. If informed consent is not required, the manuscript must include the name of the ethics committee granting the exemption and a justification for the exemption. Any ethical violations identified at any stage of the publication process will be rigorously investigated according to COPE guidelines and the manuscript may be rejected.
2.3 Trial Registration
JCBT requires all authors to register all relevant clinical trials that are reported in manuscripts submitted. JCBT follows the World Health Organization (WHO)'s and International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
2.4 Research Involving Human Embryos, Gametes, and Stem Cells
Manuscripts reporting experiments involving human embryos, gametes, human embryonic stem cells, related materials, or clinical applications of stem cells must include confirmation that all experiments were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. The manuscript should include an ethics statement that identifies the institutional and/or national research ethics committee (including the name of the committee) that approved the experiments, along with any relevant details. Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all recipients and/or donors of cells or tissues, where applicable, and describe the conditions under which materials such as human embryos or gametes were donated for research. Copies of the approval and redacted consent documents may be requested by the Editor. Authors are encouraged to follow the principles outlined in the 2016 ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation.
2.5 Sex and Gender in Research (SAGER)
JCBT encourages our authors to follow the ‘Sex and Gender Equity in Research – SAGER – guidelines’ and to include sex and gender considerations where relevant.
2.6 Research Involving Animals
Experimental research on animals must be approved by an appropriate ethics committee and must comply with institutional, national, or international guidelines. JCBT encourages authors to adhere to the AALAS Guidelines, the ARRIVE Guidelines, and/or the ICLAS Guidelines, and to obtain prior approval from the relevant ethics committee. Manuscripts must include a statement indicating that the study has been approved by the relevant ethical committee and that the entire research process complies with ethical guidelines. If a study is granted an exemption from requiring ethics approval, the name of the ethics committee granting the exemption and the reasons for the exemption should be provided. Editors will consider animal welfare issues and reserve the right to reject manuscripts, especially if the research involves protocols that are inconsistent with commonly accepted standards of animal research.
2.7 Research Involving Plants
Experimental research on plants (both cultivated and wild), including the collection of plant material, must comply with institutional, national, or international guidelines. Field studies should be conducted in accordance with local legislation, and the manuscript should include a statement specifying the appropriate permissions and/or licenses. JCBT recommends that authors follow the IUCN Policy Statement on Research Involving Species at Risk of Extinction and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
For each manuscript, supporting genetic information and the origin of plants used must be provided. For research involving rare and non-model plants (other than, e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, Oryza sativa, or other typical model plants), voucher specimens must be deposited in a public herbarium or other public collections, ensuring access to the deposited materials.
2.8 Dual Use Research of Concern
JCBT adheres to the practical framework outlined in the Guidance for Editors: Research, Audit and Service Evaluations and established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Research that poses a significant threat with far-reaching consequences to public health or national security must be explicitly identified within the manuscript. Additionally, potential dual-use research of concern should be detailed in the cover letter accompanying the submission.
Areas of potential concern include, but are not limited to: Biosecurity risks; Nuclear and chemical threats; Research with military applications or purposes.
Manuscripts addressing these topics will only be considered for peer review if the potential benefits to the general public or public health clearly outweigh the associated risks. Authors are also obligated to comply with all relevant national and international laws and regulations.
2.9 Others
For cases not covered by specific instructions, please refer to the relevant publication guidelines or contact the journal editor directly.
3. Availability of Data and Materials
When submitting a manuscript to JCBT, authors must ensure that all data and materials supporting the findings of the manuscript are available. JCBT strongly encourages authors to make all data and materials on which the conclusions rely, including relevant raw data, accessible to readers. These resources should be freely available to any researcher for non-commercial purposes, provided the confidentiality of the participants is maintained.
If the study includes datasets, authors should include an Availability of Data and Materials section in the manuscript to specify this.
- For publicly available data, authors should provide the repository name, a permanent link, and any relevant access number or DOI (e.g., “The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available at the [repository name] repository, accessible via [DOI/URL].”).
- If the data cannot be made public due to privacy, ethical considerations, or other restrictions, this must be explicitly stated (e.g., “Due to [specific reasons], the data supporting the findings of this study cannot be publicly shared but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”).
- For proprietary data or materials, authors must clearly outline the conditions under which they can be accessed.
JCBT emphasizes the importance of data transparency to foster reproducibility and uphold the integrity of scientific research. Failure to provide an adequate Availability of Data and Materials statement may impact the manuscript’s eligibility for publication.
4. Standards of Reporting
JCBT advocates complete and transparent reporting of biomedical and biological research. JCBT strongly encourages the use of the following checklists and reporting guidelines:
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
- Randomized controlled trials (CONSORT)
- Protocols for randomized controlled protocols (SPIRIT)
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and protocols (PRISMA-P)
- Observational studies (STROBE)
- Case reports (CARE)
- Qualitative research (COREQ)
- Diagnostic/prognostic studies (STARDand TRIPOD)
- Economic evaluations (CHEERS)
- Pre-clinical animal studies (ARRIVE)
- Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature (SAMPL)
For other related guidelines, please contact the editorial office for confirmation.
5. Conflicts of Interest
5.1 Definition of Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest (COI) arises when personal, financial, or professional interests or relationships could affect, or be perceived to affect, the objectivity and integrity of the research, the peer review process, or the publication of manuscripts.
Conflicts of interest may be classified as:
- Financial: Direct or indirect financial interests, including but not limited to employment, funding, patents, and stock ownership.
- Non-financial: Personal relationships, academic commitments, or other interests that might influence the work or the judgment of the individual involved.
5.2 Author Declaration
Each author is responsible for disclosing to the Publisher all potential conflicts of interest regarding this manuscript (including sources of support, monetary or other, monetary interests in the products studied, consultantships, stocks, etc.) and whether the author regards them to be actual conflicts of interest.
The Editor reserves the right to request additional information regarding competing interests if necessary.
5.3 Transparency and Public Disclosure
Every submitted manuscript must include a "Competing Interests" section at the end. If no competing interests exist, the statement should read: “The author(s) declare(s) that they have no competing interests.”
Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest or deliberate misrepresentation of interests may result in the rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published work, or other actions as deemed necessary by the journal's editorial board.
5.4 Editor and Reviewer Declaration
Editors and reviewers are also required to disclose any competing interests and will be excluded from the peer review process if a conflict of interest is identified.
6. Authorship
6.1 Who Can be an Author
JCBT follows the authorship criteria defined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Substantial Contributions: Authors should have made significant contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the study.
Drafting the Manuscript: Authors should have participated in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Final Approval: Authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Accountability: Authors should ensure that any issues related to the accuracy or integrity of the work are addressed and that they are willing to take responsibility for the work published.
6.2 Order of Authors
First Author: The first author is typically the person who made the most significant intellectual contribution, usually by leading the research, performing most of the experiments, or writing the manuscript.
Middle Authors: The middle authors are listed in order of their contribution. In some cases, the order of middle authors may be determined by the amount of work they contributed to the research and manuscript writing.
Corresponding Author: The corresponding author is usually responsible for submitting the manuscript, handling the peer review process, and communicating with the journal. This author is also listed as the main point of contact for questions related to the research.
Several authors are considered to have made equal contributions. This should be clearly stated in the manuscript.
6.3 Authorship vs. Acknowledgment
There is a distinct difference between authorship and acknowledgment:
Authorship: Reserved for individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work, as per the ICMJE criteria. Authors are responsible for the content and integrity of the research.
Acknowledgment: Individuals who contributed to the research in a less significant way, such as providing technical assistance, funding, or general supervision, should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgments" section of the paper.
6.4 Changes to Authorship
Adding/Removing Authors: Any changes in the authorship list (such as adding or removing authors) must be agreed upon by all authors. It is essential to discuss and resolve authorship issues early in the research process to prevent disputes.
Corresponding Author: The corresponding author should keep all co-authors informed about the progress of the submission and ensure all authors approve the final manuscript.
6.5 Third Party Submissions
All manuscripts must be submitted by an author and may not be submitted by a third party.
7. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The use of content generated by artificial intelligence as an original intellectual contribution is strictly prohibited.
It is strictly prohibited for AI to participate in the review process of editors and reviewers.
8. Citations
8.1 Purpose of Citations
Acknowledgment: To give credit to the original authors or creators of ideas, theories, data, or methodologies that influenced the work.
Transparency: To allow readers to verify the sources of information and evaluate their credibility.
Academic Integrity: To avoid plagiarism by properly attributing ideas and content to their rightful authors.
Scholarly Context: To position the work within the existing body of knowledge and highlight its contributions.
8.2 Appropriate Use of Citations
Citing original work, Cite primary sources whenever possible to ensure accuracy.
Include citations that are directly relevant to the research and support the claims made in the manuscript.
Excessive citations to unrelated or marginally relevant works should be avoided.
Self-citation should be limited to works genuinely related to the manuscript. Excessive self-citation may be viewed as unethical.
Authors should not cite sources that they have not read.
Authors should not use an excessive number of citations to support one point.
Authors should avoid citing work solely from one country.
8.3 Citation Integrity
Accuracy: All citations should be accurate and correspond to the correct source, including author names, titles, publication years, and page numbers.
Accessibility: Cited works should be accessible to readers, either through public archives, libraries, or online resources.
Up-to-Date References: Where possible, include recent and relevant references to reflect the current state of the field.
9. Misconduct
9.1 Data Fabrication
The act of inventing or falsifying data and results. This includes creating false data or experimental results that were never actually obtained.
9.2 Data Falsification
Manipulating research data, images, or results, such that they do not accurately represent the true data. This can involve altering data points, graphs, or images to mislead the audience.
9.3 Plagiarism
The uncredited use of someone else’s work, ideas, or data. This includes copying text, images, or data without proper citation or acknowledgment, and presenting it as one's own.
9.4 Duplicate Publication (Self-Plagiarism)
Publishing the same or substantially similar content in more than one journal. Any manuscript submitted to JCBT must be original and the manuscript, or substantial parts of it, must not be under consideration by any other journal.
9.5 Authorship Misconduct
Listing individuals as authors who have not made substantial contributions to the research.
Failing to acknowledge individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research.
9.6 Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest
Failing to disclose financial, personal, or professional interests that may influence the research or its interpretation. Authors must declare all potential conflicts of interest during submission, including funding sources, consultancy roles, or any other relevant ties.
9.7 Citation Manipulation
Intentional manipulation of the citation process to increase citation counts, such as excessive self-citation or arranging mutual citation agreements with other authors. This also includes the inclusion of false or irrelevant references to inflate the manuscript’s academic credibility.
9.8 Peer Review Manipulation
Interfering with the peer review process to influence the outcome.
JCBT will follow COPE guidelines for handling potential cases of publication misconduct on plagiarism.
10. Corrections and Retractions
JCBT is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scientific record. If errors or issues are identified in published articles, appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the COPE and ICMJE.
10.1 Corrections
If minor errors are found that do not affect the conclusions or integrity of the article, such as typographical errors, author affiliations, or other factual errors that require revision, will, at the Editor(s)’ discretion, be corrected via publication of a Correction that is indexed and bidirectionally linked to the original article.
10.2 Retractions
If significant errors, ethical breaches, or issues that invalidate a study's findings are identified, the journal may retract the article. In such cases, JCBT will adhere to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retraction notices will be indexed and bidirectionally linked to the original article. The original article will be watermarked as retracted, and its title will be amended with the prefix “Retracted Article”.
10.3 Expressions of Concern
In cases where the validity of the article is under investigation but conclusions cannot yet be drawn, the journal may issue an expression of concern to alert readers to potential issues.
10.4 Removal of Published Content
In rare cases, published content may be removed from the online platform to comply with legal requirements, such as court orders, or to prevent serious harm (e.g., when the content is defamatory, violates privacy rights, or poses a significant public health risk). JCBT follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when addressing such cases.
When content is removed:
A statement will be published in its place explaining the reason for the removal, ensuring transparency.
Metadata, including the title and authorship details, will be retained unless prohibited by law.
The removal statement will be indexed and accessible where the original article appeared.
Content removal is considered an exceptional measure and is only undertaken when no other options, such as issuing a correction or retraction, are sufficient to address the issue.
10.5 Comments and Replies
JCBT encourages scholarly dialogue and welcomes comments on published articles that provide constructive feedback, identify errors, or offer alternative interpretations of the findings. Comments must be relevant, concise, and supported by evidence.
Submission of Comments: Authors, readers, or researchers may submit comments to the journal within a specified period after the original article's publication. The comments will be reviewed for clarity, relevance, and adherence to the journal's guidelines before publication.
Author Replies: Authors of the original article will be invited to respond to published comments. Replies should address the points raised constructively and succinctly.
Editorial Oversight: Both comments and replies are subject to editorial review and may undergo peer review if deemed necessary. Comments and replies will be published alongside the original article or in a designated section of the journal.
11. Appeals and Complaints
JCBT is committed to ensuring a fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial process. Authors and readers may raise appeals or complaints if they believe an editorial decision or process has been unfairly handled. Appeals and complaints about our processes or about publication ethics will in the first instance be handled by the Editor responsible for the journal. If the Editor is the subject of the complaint, please approach the editorial and publishing management team by email to jcbt@eternopublisher.com
11.1 Appeals
Authors who disagree with a decision (e.g., rejection or retraction of a manuscript) may submit a formal appeal.
Appeals must be submitted to the editorial office, providing a detailed explanation and evidence supporting the request for reconsideration.
The appeal will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or independent reviewers who were not involved in the original decision.
The decision on the appeal is final and will be communicated to the author.
11.2 Complaints
Complaints regarding the editorial process, peer review, ethical concerns, or publication policies can be submitted to the journal.
Complaints should include specific details and supporting evidence to allow thorough investigation.
The editorial team will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and investigate it in accordance with COPE guidelines.
If the complaint cannot be resolved by the journal, it may be escalated to the publisher or referred to COPE.
12. Preservation and Archiving Information
Online versions of all manuscripts will be submitted to the National Library of Singapore for legal deposit.
