Getting Published in Molecular Therapy and Its Sibling Journals
Authors: Robert M Frederickson
Journal: Molecular Therapy (2013)

The editorial team handling the review of papers submitted to Molecular Therapy is led by Editor-in-Chief Malcolm Brenner and includes myself and a panel of Deputy Editors (DEs). Papers first undergo a primary triage to assess whether they fit the overall purview and priorities of the journal. Although primarily focused on gene-, cell-, and oligonucleotide-based therapies, the journal also considers contributions in other areas, for example, peptide and protein therapy, vaccine development, and stem cell engineering, provided that they are deemed of sufficient interest to our broad readership. Papers falling within our purview are then assigned to an appropriate DE and undergo a secondary triage that aims to assess general interest, novelty, and potential impact. This step is key, because we can now accept only about 25% of the papers submitted to the journal, and this secondary triage can spare authors the additional time for external review when it appears unlikely to lead to a positive outcome. Authors can request or exclude a particular DE or ask that Malcolm or I handle the paper directly. Probably the most important recommendation we can make to authors interested in publishing in our journals is to engage the editors. Proactive communication is key, as is providing with your submission a detailed cover letter explaining why you feel the paper meets the standards for general interest and potential impact on a broad readership. The caveat, of course, is that the editors might not agree with your assessment, in which case we strive, at the very least, to provide useful feedback as you prepare your paper for submission elsewhere. Authors are also encouraged to suggest potential reviewers who have the relevant expertise, provided no conflict of interest (CoI) exists. Authors can exclude specific individuals for whom a CoI is perceived but must supply a brief description of the conflict. When recommending reviewers, authors should take into account both the therapeutic vector system and the disease model under study, in addition to specific aspects of the findings, such as immunological or biodistribution parameters. Reviewers are automatically chased by the manuscript tracking system and contacted directly by the Editor after several reminders. DEs then make recommendations based on the comments of the reviewers, and a final decision is made in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief and/or the Editor. It is important to note that journal policy allows only a single round of major revision and re-review. We are reluctant to see manuscripts go through iterative rounds of review, which can be taxing for both reviewers and editors, whose workloads are already quite high. Manuscripts usually go through a stage of only minor or editorial revision prior to final acceptance. Should authors disagree with the decision or comments by either the reviewers or editors, they may e-mail the Editor ([email protected]) to outline their concerns, which will be reviewed by the editorial team. Finally, our aim is to ensure that editor and reviewer expectations following the first decision are as clear as possible, and authors are encouraged to contact the Editor for clarification if this is not the case. In preparing the manuscript, avoid heavy self-citation and ensure that work from other labs is cited where warranted, including related papers in press. Do not forget to declare any relevant CoIs for any of the authors; conflicts should be described in the Acknowledgments section. Do not manipulate images extensively or lift text from prior papers by you or your colleagues. Figures can be repurposed under some circumstances, but the source must be properly credited in the legend. Finally, review the Instructions for Authors (http://www.nature.com/mt/author_instructions.html) before submission, and—we cannot repeat this enough—never, ever submit figures as PowerPoint files. With the launch of Molecular Therapy—Nucleic Acids (MTNA) in early 2012 and the upcoming launch of Molecular Therapy—Methods & Clinical Development (MTMCD) in the fourth quarter of this year, editors have the option of referring manuscripts rejected by MT when they are deemed more appropriate for publication in either of these sibling titles (refer to http://www.nature.com/mtna and http://nature.com/mtm for their Aims and Scope sections), often pending only minor revision. Note, however, that the current and future sibling titles are independent journals that (will) have their own independent editors-in-chief and editorial boards responsible for final decisions and crafting journal priorities and policies. Many authors remain unaware that we can accept for rapid consideration papers rejected from other journals when accompanied by the reviewers’ comments from the previous review. This option can facilitate rapid turnaround and publication of papers rejected by, for example, higher-impact Nature Publishing Group (NPG) journals, without the need for a lengthy additional review in cases where the paper is deemed to be of high technical quality but fails to meet the editorial priorities of the referring journal. This option is not limited to NPG journals (although NPG facilitates the process via an online transfer option in their manuscript-tracking system); we have accepted papers previously reviewed by journals such as Blood, the Journal of Neuroscience, and Science Translational Medicine. In the latter cases, authors will need to work with the editors at the referring journals to facilitate the release of reviewers’ comments to the editors of MT or its siblings. There are plenty of other opportunities for both members and nonmembers of the Society to become involved with the journals. We encourage new investigators to review for the journals; interested individuals should register at the relevant journal website and contact the editors. We welcome proposals for editorials, commentaries, and review articles. We also have the capacity to produce podcasts on a regular basis through our publisher, and any would-be bloggers and commentators out there with sufficient energy, insight, and initiative should contact us. As I noted before, it is all about engagement.