1. AIMS AND SCOPE — Acta Studiorum Medicorum et Biomedicorum (ISSN-print: 2977-6295; ISSN-online: 2977-6309) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish well-written manuscripts addressing any topic that falls within the wider and established medical and biomedical disciplines, provided that they convey reliable and previously unpublished data or offer balanced insight into recent developments in the aforementioned disciplines. The journal strives to foster scholarly dialogue, promotes the exchange of ideas among researchers, educators, and practitioners in the medical and biomedical sectors, and welcomes manuscripts (co-)authored by undergraduate or postgraduate students. Furthermore, perspective authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that align with any of the following thematic priorities:
- clinical research — communicating diagnostic or therapeutic advancements,
- experimental research — describing the findings of studies enriching our understanding of the mechanisms of disease and / or attempting to test potential cures,
- translational medical research — communicating research findings that bridge experimental research discoveries and clinical applications,
- public health and healthcare policy — focusing on population health, disease prevention, drug safety, or healthcare policies,
- innovative techniques and technologies — presenting the development and assessment of novel methods and tools in medicine and biomedicine,
- health inequalities — addressing health inequalities at a local, national, or international level, and
- emerging topics — offering balanced insights into recent developments and challenges in medicine and biomedicine.
2. ARTICLE TYPES AND THEIR SPECIFICATIONS — Acta Studiorum Medicorum et Biomedicorum considers and publishes manuscripts for the following fifteen article types: editorial, opinion, meeting report, evidence synthesis, review, research report, commentary, technical report, case report, tutorial, notes, biography, bibliography, book review, and correspondence.
2.1. Editorial — Editorials are authored exclusively by the journal’s editor and editorial board members. They reflect the journal’s position on timely developments and challenges faced by the medical and biomedical community. The open-access fees of editorials are waived.
Specifications (Editorial)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: unstructured; 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.2. Opinion — Opinion articles can be solicited or unsolicited, written by established researchers (who are not members of the journal’s editorial board), and reflect their views on timely developments and challenges faced by the medical and biomedical community. The open-access fees of solicited opinion articles are waived.
Specifications (Opinion)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: unstructured; 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.3. Meeting Report — Meeting reports summarize the key developments presented and discussed at a meeting. The latter could be a workshop or a seminar, a panel or round table discussion, a symposium, or a satellite event within a conference. The editor will consider the publication of meeting reports focusing on topics that align well with the journal’s aims and scope.
Specifications (Meeting Report)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to five authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.4. Evidence Synthesis — Systematic reviews and meta-analyses represent the two major forms of evidence synthesis that the journal publishes, where information is brought together from a range of sources in order to inform a debate or a decision on a specific issue. Manuscripts for this article type should identify gaps in knowledge, answer a specific research question, and establish an evidence-based suggestion for the improvement of current medical and biomedical practice or policy.
Specifications (Evidence Synthesis)
Title: 30-word limit; must include the term “meta-analysis” or “systematic review”
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: structured (Background; Aim; Methodology; Results; Conclusion); 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required; must include the term “meta-analysis” or “systematic review”
Main text: structured (Introduction; Methodology; Results; Discussion; Conclusion); 5,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 50-reference limit
Tables / Figures: five tables and five figures allowed; must include a PRISMA flow diagram as a figure
Reporting guidance: PRISMA 2020 Statement
2.5. Review — Reviews should present balanced, well-informed, and well-written accounts of recent developments and ongoing challenges associated with any topic that falls within the wider and established medical and biomedical disciplines. Ideally, more than half of the references they cite need to have been published within the last five years.
Specifications (Review)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to five authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 8,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 80-reference limit
Tables / Figures: four tables and four figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.6. Research Report — Research reports can convey the findings of clinical, computational, epidemiological, or experimental research, even if these present negative results. In all cases, emphasis is given on the clarity of the findings’ presentation, the accuracy and completeness of the presentation of the methodology followed as well as its appropriateness for the hypothesis made, the robustness of the statistical analysis employed, and the validity of the conclusions reached. Manuscripts presenting previously published or flawed data, failing to disclose details regarding the ethical approval of their experiments or the informed consent of their patients, or refusing to provide raw data to the editor or the reviewers if / when reasonably requested to do so, will be rejected.
Specifications (Research Report)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: structured (Background; Aim; Methodology; Results; Conclusion); 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured (Introduction; Methodology; Results; Discussion; Conclusion); 5,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 50-reference limit
Tables / Figures: five tables and five figures allowed
Reporting guidance: ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0; CONSORT 2025 Statement; STROBE Statement
2.7. Commentary — A commentary can only be commissioned by the journal’s editor. In brief, experts in the field are invited to author a commentary on a research report that has been recently published in the journal, and provide further insight on the contribution of the report to the field as well as on the challenges that remain to be addressed. The open-access fees of commentaries are waived.
Specifications (Commentary)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: unstructured; 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.8. Technical Report — The journal considers technical reports that present novel methodological tools, paedagogical approaches, and / or comparative assessments regarding clinical procedures or experimental simulation approaches to health and disease.
Specifications (Technical Report)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 5,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 50-reference limit
Tables / Figures: five tables and five figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.9. Case Report — The journal considers case reports that: (i) focus on previously unreported or unusual cases of medical interest, (ii) highlight adverse interactions involving medications or surgical procedures, (iii) report unexpected or unusual presentations of a disease that could have an impact on its treatment strategy, (iv) contribute novel findings regarding the management of new and emerging diseases, (v) describe an unexpected event in the course of treating a patient, and / or (vi) shed light on the pathogenesis of an adverse effect. Case report manuscripts not meeting at least one of the aforementioned criteria will not be considered for publication in this journal.
Specifications (Case Report)
Title: 30-word limit; must include the term “case report”
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: structured (Background; Case summary; Conclusion); 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required; must include the term “case report”
Main text: structured (Introduction; Patient Information and Consent; Clinical Findings; Timeline; Diagnostic Assessment; Interventions; Follow-Up and Outcomes; Discussion; Patient Perspective; Conclusion); 1,500-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 15-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table and one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: 2013 CARE Checklist
2.10. Tutorial — Tutorials are articles aiming to familiarize readers with a specific emerging topic that falls within the wider and established medical and biomedical disciplines; a tutorial needs to be written in a way allowing it to be used as instructional material in a learning process.
Specifications (Tutorial)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 3,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 30-reference limit
Tables / Figures: three tables and three figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.11. Notes — Manuscripts presenting the findings of historical research or providing insight to the history of medicine or biomedical research, manuscripts communicating recent developments on medical or biomedical policy and regulations, as well as manuscripts providing pharmacovigilance updates are welcomed by the journal and, if accepted for publication, will be published as notes.
Specifications (Notes)
Title: 30-word limit
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 5,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 50-reference limit
Tables / Figures: five tables and five figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.12. Biography — A biography should be written in a comprehensive manner, with emphasis on the biographee’s legacy and its impact on the fields of study that the journal aims to serve.
Specifications (Biography)
Title: 30-word limit; must include the full name and the lifespan dates of the biographee
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured as required; 3,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 30-reference limit
Tables / Figures: three tables and three figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.13. Bibliography — Bibliographies must be annotated, comprehensive, and their focus must be either thematic or on a single author, as long as it falls within the scope of the journal.
Specifications (Bibliography)
Title: 30-word limit; must include the term “bibliography”
Authors: up to three authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured (Background; Bibliography; Discussion); 8,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 80-reference limit; not including any of those forming the “Bibliography” section
Tables / Figures: four tables and four figures allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.14. Book Review — A book review provides a summary and a critical analysis of a recently published book, with emphasis on its usefulness for the intended readership. The open-access fees of book reviews are waived.
Specifications (Book Review)
Title: 30-word limit; must include the term “review”, the title of the book, and its ISBN; optionally, also the name(s) of its author(s) or editor(s)
Authors: only one author allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: structured (Bibliographic information; Background; Summary; Critical analysis; Readership; Conclusion); 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: n/a
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
2.15. Correspondence — Correspondence is limited to the communication of specific arguments, comments, and data relevant to articles already published in the journal. If the manuscript is deemed worthy of publication after peer review, a response is commissioned by the editor. The open-access fees of any responses are waived.
Specifications (Correspondence)
Title: 30-word limit; author responses must include the term “response”
Authors: no restriction as to the number of authors allowed
Abstract: unstructured; 300-word limit
Keywords: five keywords required
Main text: unstructured; 1,000-word limit
Acknowledgments: mandatory
Conflicts of interest statement: mandatory
Data availability statement: mandatory
References: 10-reference limit
Tables / Figures: one table or one figure allowed
Reporting guidance: n/a
3. ERRATA AND RETRACTION NOTES — The journal retains the right to publish errata and retraction notes. An erratum is published in order to correct mistakes or omissions caused by the author(s) of an article, that do not alter the conclusion of the said article. A retraction note is published when the conclusions of the article concerned are deemed unreliable due to the existence of serious ethical concerns, misconduct, or honest errors.
4. MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION PARTICULARS — Manuscripts should adhere to the journal guidelines upon submission. Manuscripts that fail to do so will be returned to the corresponding authors. Section 2 provides a systematic description of the specifications of all twelve article types published in Acta Studiorum Medicorum et Biomedicorum, while this section provides a thorough description of the manuscript preparation particulars.
4.1. Language — The journal only accepts manuscripts written in English, and the spelling could be either American or British as long as it is consistent throughout the manuscript. We highly recommend the use of editing services (particularly by authors who are non-native speakers of English) prior to the submission of a manuscript to the journal, as this will increase the chances of the manuscript to convey its message with clarity and accuracy. If the reviewers believe that the manuscript’s language bears significant issues, the editor retains the right to request proof of the undertaking of professional editing as part of the revision process.
4.2. Manuscript Formatting — All manuscripts should be prepared in Microsoft Word and should be submitted as .docx files. All manuscripts should be prepared in a portrait A4 page setup with wide (3-cm) margins and double-line spacing. The preferable font is Arial size 11. Footnotes are not allowed.
4.3. Reporting Guidance — Authors are advised to consult the reporting guidance described in the manuscript specifications of section 2: (i) the PRISMA 2020 Statement (for evidence synthesis in the form of a meta-analysis or a systematic review), (ii) the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0 (for research reports that describe animal preclinical studies), (iii) the CONSORT 2025 Statement (for research reports that describe parallel group randomised trials), (iv) the STROBE Statement (for research reports that describe cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional studies), and (v) the 2013 CARE checklist (for case reports).
4.4. Nomenclature, Units, and Abbreviations — When preparing a manuscript, emphasis must be given to employing the appropriate and up-to-date nomenclature (see section 4.4.1), using accurate units of measurement (see section 4.4.2), and ensuring all used abbreviations are standard, well-defined or included in the journal’s list of abbreviations that need not be defined (see section 4.4.3).
4.4.1. Nomenclature — The accuracy of the nomenclature used, its relevance to the topic of the manuscript, as well its use in its most recently updated form, are essential aspects of effective scientific communication. Latin binomials (identifying species) and genes should be written in italics, and the same applies for quoted text, titles of works and journals, as well as the following terms: a posteriori, a priori, ad hoc, ad libitum, alma mater, ante cibum, ante mortem, de facto, de novo, erga omnes, errata, erratum, et al., etc., ex vivo, in memoriam, in naturo, in ovo, in silico, in situ, in vitro, in vivo, magna cum laude, materia medica, modus operandi, nil per os, per annum, per capita, per diem, per os, per rectum, per se, pro parte, pro rata, sic, status quo, terra incognita, terra nova, versus, veto, via, vice versa, and viva voce.
4.4.2. Units — All numerical values in the manuscript should be presented in accordance with the International System of Units (SI) base and derived units, as well as prefixes. Moreover, a space should be inserted between the value (in Arabic numeral) and the measurement unit, with the exception of values referring to degrees (°).
4.4.3. Abbreviations — All abbreviations should be defined upon first mention in the abstract as well as in the main text of the manuscript, and should be consistently used thereafter throughout these manuscript sections. Moreover, all abbreviations used in tables and/or figures need to also be defined in the respective legends. Abbreviations that need not be defined include: 2D, 3D, ADP, AMP, ANOVA, ATP, ATPase, AUC, BMI, BPS, BSA, cAMP, cDNA, CI, CoA, CT, DAPI, df, DMEM, DMSO, DNA, DNase, EC50, ECX, ECG, ED50, EDX, EDTA, EEA, EEG, eGFP, EGTA, ELISA, EMG, EPHAR, EU, FACS, FBS, FDA, FRET, GAPDH, GC, GC-MS, GDP, GFP, GMP, GTP, GTPase, Hb, HBSS, HEPES, HPLC, IC50, Ig, IL, IQ, IQR, IR, IU, IUPAC, IUPHAR, KO, LC, LC-MS, LED, LD50, LPS, MRI, mRNA, MS, MS-MS, MW, n, NAD+, NADH, NADP+, NADPH, NATO, NMR, OD, p, PBS, PCR, PET, pH, r, Rh, RIA, RIPA, RNA, RPMI, rRNA, SD, SDS-PAGE, SE, SEM, siRNA, SPSS, t1/2, TLC, Tris, tRNA, TUNEL, UAE, UK, UN, US, USA, UV, WHO, and WT. The definitions of the abbreviations that need not be defined can be found here.
4.5. References — The journal follows the Harvard referencing style, with minor adaptations, as shown in the examples provided below. In the “References” section of the manuscript, references should be listed alphabetically based on the surname of the first author. References that correspond to journal articles with up to six authors should include all authors (i.e., the surname of each one followed by the initial of the name or names and of the middle name or names), while those with more than six authors should include the first six authors followed by the designation “et al.“. Journal abbreviations should follow the ISO-4 rules. Displaying each reference’s DOI (wherever this is available) is mandatory. Citing journal articles that have been published in languages other than English, dissertations, theses, or online material that has not been peer-reviewed should be avoided wherever possible.
Examples
Example #1: journal article with one author
In-text citing: (Zarros, 2014)
Reference listing: Zarros A.: Prerequisites for a reliable introduction of in vitro neurotoxicity testing within the REACH framework. Neurotoxicology 44: 365 (2014). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.06.003
Example #2: journal article with two authors
In-text citing: (Tsakiris and Zarros, 2006)
Reference listing: Tsakiris S., Zarros A.: Medical physiology and experimentation: reconsidering the undergraduate examination structure. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 30(2): 94-95 (2006). DOI: 10.1152/advan.00078.2005
Example #3: journal article with more than two authors
In-text citing: (Koromilas et al., 2015)
Reference listing: Koromilas C., Tsakiris S., Kalafatakis K., Zarros A., Stolakis V., Kimpizi D., et al.: Experimentally-induced maternal hypothyroidism alters crucial enzyme activities in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of the offspring rat. Metab. Brain Dis. 30(1): 241-246 (2015). DOI: 10.1007/s11011-014-9581-9
4.6. Figures — Manuscripts submitted to the journal should contain high-quality figures that have been introduced as .jpeg files in the manuscript’s file (.docx file). The editorial office might request from the corresponding author to provide the original figure files during the article’s proof production. Moreover, the font of any text appearing in the figures should be Arial, at a size that is expected to be clear and legible when the image is printed within half the width of an A4 page.
4.7. Copyright — The use of any material that is subject to copyright is forbidden without the author(s) accurately acknowledging the source and obtaining the necessary permission from the copyright holder(s). Such a permission should be communicated to the editorial office within the cover letter and upon the manuscript submission. Failure to do so will result in the rejection of the manuscript or the retraction of the article.
5. MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION — Manuscripts must be submitted through the portal. When submitting a manuscript to the journal, the corresponding author must submit three files: (i) a single manuscript file (in .docx form), (ii) a filled manuscript submission (MS) form (in .docx form), and (iii) a cover letter (in .docx or .pdf form). The journal’s editor will acknowledge receipt of the manuscript and provide a manuscript number within 72 h. Manuscripts that do not fulfil the specifications described in section 2, are not prepared according to the particulars of section 4, or lack the aforementioned documents, will be returned to the authors.
6. EDITORIAL WORKFLOW — The corresponding author is required to submit three files (see section 5 above) in order for the editor to allow for a manuscript number assignment (ending in “-O”), assess the manuscript, and decide whether to outright reject the manuscript or allow it to undergo peer review. The editor invites at least two reviewers and allows them 10 days to assess the manuscript and return their comments. The reviewers return their comments to the editor, who then decides whether the manuscript should be accepted as is or undergo a revision, and communicates the decision to the corresponding author. The corresponding author who has received a revision request will be required to submit a revised manuscript along with a filled out peer review response (PRR) form (which is provided to him/her) as well as any other material requested to the editor. The editor then assigns the revised manuscript an updated manuscript number (the same as before, but ending in “-R1” instead of “-O”) and judges whether the revision undertaken allows for the revised manuscript to be accepted for publication, whether it is completely insufficient and requires the rejection of the manuscript, or whether the revised manuscript needs to be further improved by the authors. If given the opportunity, the corresponding author will be required to submit the twice-revised manuscript along with a filled out peer review response (PRR) form (which is provided to him/her) as well as any other material requested to the editor. The editor will then assign the twice-revised manuscript an updated manuscript number (the same as before, but ending in “-R2” instead of “-R1”) and judge whether the latest revision undertaken allows for the twice-revised manuscript to be accepted for publication, or to be rejected. Accepted manuscripts are processed and copyedited by the editorial office; the latter communicates the article proofs, the manuscript acceptance and proofs return (MAPR) form, and the article processing charge (APC) payment instructions to the corresponding author. The corresponding author will need to return the filled and signed MAPR form as well as APC payment proof within 72 h. Following this step, the article publication takes place after the confirmation of the payment of the APC.
6.1. Peer Review Process — The journal follows a standard single-blind (or single anonymized) peer review process by at least two reviewers. The editor seeks the opinion of two independent reviewers who are invited to provide their expert opinion on the manuscript’s content within 10 days. One needs to factor in the time required for the editor to identify and contact suitable reviewers, the time offered to allow them to reply to the invitation, and the time allowed for them to return their comments, along with the possibility that reviewers might drop out of the process or might need to be replaced due to inactivity. In both latter cases, new reviewers have to be sought out for the assessment of the same manuscript. Therefore, providing a reliable timeframe for this process is quite challenging. Authors of manuscripts submitted to the journal should expect to hear back from the editor with the results of the peer review process within 21 to 40 days after the manuscript number assignment. The journal does not support a fast-track option for the peer review process.
6.2. Manuscript Status and Withdrawal — Corresponding authors can check their manuscript’s status with the editorial office by quoting the manuscript number. The withdrawal of a manuscript needs to be requested in writing by the corresponding author, and needs to be justified. If it transpires that the manuscript was submitted elsewhere while it was still under consideration by the journal, the editor has the right to contact the publisher and the editorial office of the other journal and request the manuscript’s rejection or the retraction of its published form (article).
7. OPEN-ACCESS FEES — The open-access fees are paid in the form of an APC after the acceptance of the manuscript. All manuscripts received within 2025 will be published free of charge.
APC (2025 and 2026)
For manuscripts submitted within 2025
Editorial; Opinion (solicited); Commentary; Book Review; Correspondence (response) — APC: free of charge
All other article types — APC: free of charge
For manuscripts submitted within 2026
Editorial; Opinion (solicited); Commentary; Book Review; Correspondence (response) — APC: free of charge
All other article types — APC: 300.00 GBP
Acta Studiorum Medicorum et Biomedicorum 
