Why Special Issues Matter
Special issues concentrate attention on high priority topics, accelerate collaboration, and provide authors with an opportunity to publish alongside peers in a curated research theme. For readers, these collections provide a single, credible destination for current evidence. They also draw interdisciplinary interest from clinicians, funders, and translational research teams.
Suggested Themes
- Hematopoietic stem cell expansion and niche engineering.
- Graft versus host disease mechanisms and prevention.
- Cell and gene therapies in hematologic malignancies.
- Marrow failure syndromes and diagnostic biomarkers.
- Transplant conditioning protocols and outcome optimization.
What to Include in Your Proposal
A strong proposal explains the scientific gap, defines the target audience, and outlines how the issue will attract high quality manuscripts.
- Proposed title and short rationale for the theme.
- Guest editor details and relevant expertise.
- Planned topics, manuscript types, and invited contributors.
- Proposed timeline for call for papers and review.
Guest Editor Responsibilities
- Work with JBMB editors to refine scope and call for papers.
- Recommend qualified reviewers and support editorial decisions.
- Ensure timely reviews and maintain ethical standards.
Ideal Guest Editor Profile
Successful proposals are led by researchers with established expertise, strong publication records, and active networks in bone marrow biology or transplantation science. Collaborative guest editor teams are encouraged to ensure breadth of coverage and reviewer access.
- Demonstrated expertise in the proposed theme.
- Ability to invite high quality contributors.
- Commitment to ethical and timely peer review.
Review and Publication Flow
Special issue submissions follow the same peer review standards as regular articles. JBMB manages reviewer selection, conflict checks, and final decisions while guest editors provide subject specific input.
- Manuscripts are screened for scope and ethical compliance.
- Peer review focuses on rigor, reproducibility, and clinical relevance.
- Accepted articles are published as they are ready, with a unified special issue landing page.
Promotion and Visibility
JBMB promotes special issues through targeted announcements, editorial networks, and indexing channels. This increases visibility for guest editors and contributing authors, and supports higher citation potential for the collection.
APC and Waiver Considerations
Special issues follow the standard Article Processing Charge policy. For APC details and waiver guidance, review the APC page and coordinate with the editorial office if funding support is required.
Editorial Oversight
All special issue submissions undergo JBMB peer review and editorial oversight. Guest editors contribute subject expertise, but final decisions remain with the journal to protect quality and integrity.
Next Steps
Submit your proposal or request guidance by contacting [email protected]. Once approved, we will coordinate the call for papers and provide templates and timelines. We will confirm scope alignment and outline next milestones. If you are ready to submit a special issue package, visit the Submit Special Issue page.
