Editorial Policies

Journal Information

Editorial Policies

Biotechnology Frontiers is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and scientific rigor in scholarly publishing. The journal adheres to the guidelines and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows internationally recognized best practices to ensure ethical, responsible, and high-quality dissemination of biotechnology research.

Our editorial policies are regularly reviewed and updated to stay aligned with global standards in biotechnology publishing, advances in life sciences, and evolving ethical frameworks governing genetic research, biosafety, bioethics, and related disciplines.

Open Access Policy

Biotechnology Frontiers is committed to the principle that scientific knowledge in biotechnology should be freely accessible to all. To support this mission, the journal follows a fully open access publishing model.

All articles published in the journal are made freely and permanently available online immediately upon publication, without subscription fees, registration requirements, or access charges. This ensures that researchers, practitioners, industry professionals, policymakers, educators, and the wider public can access and benefit from the latest advances in biotechnology without financial or technical barriers.

Copyright Policy

Biotechnology Frontiers allows authors to retain copyright and full publishing rights for their work. By submitting to this journal, authors agree to make their work freely available for use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided proper credit is given to the authors and the original source.

A copyright statement will appear on all published articles in HTML, PDF, and XML formats. Authors grant the journal the right of first publication by signing a License to Publish agreement prior to formal publication.

All manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere. If copyrighted materials (such as figures, tables, or images) are included, authors are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions and providing appropriate acknowledgments.

CC BY License

All articles in Biotechnology Frontiers are published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) License. This open access license ensures the free and permanent availability of biotechnology research, encouraging knowledge sharing, innovation, and wide academic exchange in the field.Under this license, users are free to:

Share – copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.

Adapt – remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use.

Conditions of Use:

Attribution – Proper credit must be given to the original authors and source, a link to the license must be provided, and any changes made must be indicated.

No Additional Restrictions – Users may not apply legal or technological measures that restrict others from exercising the rights granted under this license.

For more details, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Example Copyright Line
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Biotechnology Frontiers. This article is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Editorial Freedom

Biotechnology Frontiers (eISSN: [to be assigned]) upholds the principle of editorial independence to ensure credibility, fairness, and transparency in biotechnology publishing. The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board have full authority over the editorial content and timing of publication.

All editorial decisions—including article review, selection, revision, and acceptance—are made solely on the basis of:

The scientific quality and rigor of the work

The originality and innovation of the research

Its relevance and contribution to the advancement of biotechnology and life sciences

The publisher does not interfere with editorial decisions, and no commercial or external influence affects the peer review or publication process. This guarantees fairness, transparency, and integrity in the dissemination of biotechnology knowledge.

Key Editorial Policies & Reference Links

Publication Ethics
Adheres to international standards of ethical publishing.
🔗 Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

Plagiarism Policy
Strict zero-tolerance approach for plagiarism in biotechnology research.
🔗 IEEE Plagiarism Policy

Authorship & Contributions
Clear criteria for authorship and contributorship.
🔗 COPE Authorship Guidance

Conflict of Interest
Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts.
🔗 COPE Conflict of Interest Guidance

Peer Review Policy
Follows a double-blind peer review system based on ethical guidelines.
🔗 COPE Peer Review Guidelines

Copyright & Licensing
Published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) License.
🔗 CC BY License

Open Access Policy
Fully open access, aligned with DOAJ best practices.
🔗 DOAJ Guide

Archiving & Preservation
Ensures long-term digital preservation through trusted archiving services:
🔗 Portico | 🔗 CLOCKSS

Retraction & Corrections
Committed to COPE guidelines on retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern.
🔗 COPE Retraction Guidelines

Peer Review Policy

Peer Review Model
Biotechnology Frontiers (eISSN: [to be assigned]) follows a single-blind peer review model: reviewers remain anonymous to authors, while authors’ identities are visible to reviewers.

All submitted manuscripts (except invited Editorials) undergo a rigorous review process to evaluate their:

Originality and novelty of the biotechnology research

Scientific validity and soundness of experimental design, methodology, and data interpretation

Relevance and significance to biotechnology, life sciences, and applied research

Clarity, structure, and contribution to advancing knowledge and innovation in the field

Peer Review Process

1. Initial Check
🔗 [Download Initial Check Form]
The Managing Editor screens each submission for:

Plagiarism and research integrity
Alignment with the journal’s scope in biotechnology and life sciences
Compliance with formatting and submission requirements
Only manuscripts that pass this stage are assigned to an Academic Editor.

2. Editorial Evaluation

The Editor-in-Chief or a designated Editorial Board Member evaluates the manuscript to determine if it should proceed to full peer review. Submissions clearly outside the scope or of insufficient quality may be declined at this stage.

3. External Peer Review

Manuscripts are reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant field of biotechnology. Reviewers assess:

Novelty and significance of the research in biotechnology
Scientific rigor and methodological soundness
Contribution to advancing biotechnology knowledge, applications, or innovation
Clarity, structure, and overall presentation

Reviewers provide constructive feedback and a recommendation: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. Standard review time: 14 days from acceptance of the invitation.

4. Decision

The Academic Editor considers reviewer reports and makes the final decision. If reports are conflicting or inconclusive, additional expert reviews may be requested.

Editorial Board and Guest Editor Submissions
Manuscripts submitted by Editorial Board Members or Guest Editors are handled independently by other qualified editors to ensure fairness and transparency.

Special Issue Manuscripts
Papers submitted to Special Issues follow the same rigorous peer review process as regular submissions. The Editor-in-Chief ensures consistent quality standards and supervises Guest Editors throughout the process.

Peer Reviewers Policy

Selection of Reviewers

Appropriate reviewers are carefully selected based on the following criteria:

Independent from the authors and their institutions
Expertise in the same or closely related area of biotechnology or life sciences
Strong publication record in relevant biotechnology fields
Ability to deliver a timely, unbiased, and informed review

Author-Suggested Reviewers
Authors may suggest potential reviewers with suitable expertise, but the journal reserves the right to make the final decision. Suggested reviewers must:

Have a recent publication record in the relevant biotechnology area
Not have co-authored with any of the manuscript’s authors in the recent past
Not share a current or recent institutional affiliation with the authors
Not be current or recent collaborators of the authors
Not have close personal relationships with the authors
Not have any financial or professional conflict of interest related to the work
Authors should provide each suggested reviewer’s full name, email address, institution, research area, and ORCID ID (if available).

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

Declare any conflicts of interest before accepting a review
Respect the confidentiality of the peer review process
Destroy all manuscript files after completing the review
Provide objective, evidence-based, and constructive feedback
Avoid bias based on nationality, gender, religion, politics, or personal factors
Report suspected research misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate submission, fabricated data, unethical experiments)
Avoid recommending unnecessary citations to their own work
Submit reviews on time, or request an extension if needed

Roles of Participants in Peer Review

Managing Editor – Screens submissions for scope, formatting, and plagiarism (using tools such as iThenticate), identifies suitable reviewers, and manages communication between authors, reviewers, and editors.

Academic Editor – Oversees the review process, evaluates reviewer reports, and makes the final decision (accept, revise, or reject). Usually the Editor-in-Chief, but may be delegated to an Editorial Board Member, Guest Editor, or subject expert. The Academic Editor’s name will appear on the final published article.

🔗 iThenticate Plagiarism Screening Tool

Peer Reviewers

Selection of Reviewers

Reviewers are chosen carefully to ensure fairness, expertise, and integrity in evaluating biotechnology research. Appropriate reviewers are selected if:

They are independent from the authors and their institutions
They have expertise in the same or a closely related area of biotechnology or life sciences
They have a recent publication record in the relevant field and can provide an informed evaluation
They are able to complete reviews within the required timeframe

Author-Suggested Reviewers

Authors may recommend potential reviewers with suitable expertise, but the journal reserves the right to decide whether to invite them. Suggested reviewers must:

Have a recent publication record in the relevant biotechnology field
Not have co-authored or submitted a paper with the authors in the recent past
Not share a current or recent institutional affiliation with the authors
Not be a current or recent collaborator of the authors
Not have a close personal or financial relationship with the authors
Not have any conflicts of interest regarding the manuscript
Authors should provide the reviewer’s full name, email address, institution, research area, and ORCID (if available).

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

Declare any conflicts of interest before accepting a review
Maintain the confidentiality of the peer review process
Dispose of manuscript files after completing the review
Provide objective, constructive, and unbiased feedback
Report any suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate submission, data fabrication, or unethical biotechnology practices)
Avoid requesting unnecessary citations to their own work
Submit reviews on time, or request an extension when necessary

Roles in Peer Review

Managing Editor – Screens submissions for scope, formatting, and plagiarism (using tools such as iThenticate); selects reviewers; and manages communications between authors, reviewers, and editors.

Academic Editor – Oversees the review process, evaluates reviewer reports, and makes the final decision (accept, revise, or reject). Usually the Editor-in-Chief, but may also be an Editorial Board Member, Guest Editor, or subject expert. The Academic Editor’s name is published alongside the article upon acceptance.

Authorship

Authorship Criteria

Biotechnology Frontiers (eISSN: [to be assigned]) follows authorship principles recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other international best practices. To qualify as an author, individuals must:

Contribute substantially to the conception, design, execution, or analysis of the research
Participate in drafting or critically revising the manuscript
Approve the final version before submission
Agree to take responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the work

Corresponding Author

In multi-authored papers, one author must act as the Corresponding Author. This person is responsible for:

Managing communication with the journal
Ensuring all authors meet authorship criteria
Handling declarations of conflicts of interest, acknowledgments, and ethical compliance
Responding to queries after publication

Equal / Dual Authorship

Dual first or corresponding authorship is allowed if clearly indicated in the Author Contributions section.

Group Authorship

For large collaborative projects, group authorship is permitted. All listed members must meet authorship criteria and be accountable for the work. Group names may also be included if contributors are identified.

Authorship Disputes

Authorship must be agreed upon before submission. Disputes should be resolved by the authors’ institutions, in line with COPE guidance. Editors will not adjudicate disputes.

Authorship Changes

Requests for addition, removal, or rearrangement of authors must be submitted before acceptance, with written consent from all authors, including the author being added or removed.

Author Contributions (CRediT Taxonomy)

Contributions should be described using the CRediT Taxonomy, e.g., Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Writing – Original Draft, Supervision, Funding Acquisition.

ORCID

Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID iD for proper identification and linking of research outputs.

Acknowledgments

Contributors who do not qualify as authors (e.g., technical support, editing, or general assistance) should be acknowledged with their specific role.

Use of AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

AI tools cannot be credited as authors. Authors may use AI for language editing or formatting, but not for generating scientific content, data, or conclusions. Failure to disclose AI use may be treated as misconduct.

AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Scientific Writing

Authorship and Responsibility

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship in biotechnology research requires human responsibility, accountability, and the ability to explain and defend the work—roles that AI cannot fulfill.

Permitted Use

Authors may use AI, machine learning, or similar tools only for language-related purposes, such as:

Grammar and spelling corrections
Improving readability and clarity
Formatting adjustments
AI tools must not be used to:
Generate original biotechnology research ideas
Design or conduct experiments
Analyze or interpret biological or experimental data
Draw scientific conclusions

These responsibilities rest entirely with the human researchers.

If AI-assisted technologies are used, authors must provide a disclosure statement in the Declarations section of the manuscript. For example:

“During the preparation of this work, the authors used [name of AI tool/service] for [purpose, e.g., grammar checking]. The authors reviewed and edited the content, and take full responsibility for the final version of the manuscript.”

Use of basic tools for spelling, grammar, or reference formatting does not require disclosure.

Misconduct and Ethical Compliance
Failure to disclose AI usage may be considered research or publication misconduct. Any such cases will be addressed following the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

⚠️ AI Use Policy (Biotechnology Journal Context):
Biotechnology Frontiers does not permit AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, QuillBot, GitHub Copilot) to be listed as authors. Authors may use such tools only to enhance language clarity. Full accountability for the originality, integrity, and scientific accuracy of biotechnology research findings remains with the human authors.

Conflicts of Interest

Definition

A conflict of interest (COI) in biotechnology publishing arises when an individual’s objectivity or professional judgment related to a manuscript may be influenced by secondary interests, such as financial, institutional, academic, or personal considerations. Conflicts may be real, potential, or perceived, and full transparency is required to maintain fairness, integrity, and credibility in the review and publication process.

Examples include:

Financial interests: employment, consultancy, stock ownership, patents, paid expert testimony, or financial ties to biotechnology or life sciences industries.

Academic or professional relationships: recent collaborations, institutional affiliations, or direct competition.

Personal factors: close friendships, rivalries, or strong intellectual, ideological, or policy-related beliefs in the research area.

Authors

Authors must include a Conflict of Interest Statement at the end of their manuscripts.

If no conflicts exist, the statement should read:

“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this work.”

The Corresponding Author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors provide full and accurate disclosures.

Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts (e.g., recent collaborations, institutional ties, financial interests).

If a conflict exists, reviewers should decline the review or notify the editors, who will determine if the review can proceed impartially.

Editors, Board Members, and Staff

Editors, editorial board members, guest editors, and staff must declare any conflicts related to manuscripts they handle.

If a conflict is present, the editor must recuse themselves from the review and decision-making process.

Manuscripts submitted by editorial board members or guest editors will be managed by independent editors to ensure impartiality.

Funding Disclosure

Authors must clearly state all funding sources that supported the research, including the names of funding agencies and relevant grant numbers, under the Funding section of the manuscript.

Authors must also specify the role of the sponsor, if any, in study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, or the decision to publish.

Editors, Board Members, Guest Editors, and Editorial Staff

Editors, board members, guest editors, and other editorial staff must disclose any potential conflicts of interest (📄 Conflict of Interest Checklist – Download). If an editor’s financial, institutional, academic, or personal interests could compromise—or appear to compromise—their impartiality, they must inform the editorial office and recuse themselves from the process.

In such cases, the Editor-in-Chief will reassign the manuscript to another qualified editor. To maintain fairness and transparency, manuscripts submitted by editorial board members or guest editors are always managed independently by other editors, ensuring that the submitting editor has no role in the peer review or decision-making process.

Research Ethics

Biotechnology Frontiers (eISSN: [to be assigned]) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical practice, research integrity, and transparency in biotechnology and life sciences research. Authors must ensure that their work complies with institutional, national, and international ethical guidelines relevant to biotechnology studies.

Human Participants and Clinical Research
For studies involving human participants, clinical trials, surveys, or community-based biotechnology research:

Informed consent must be obtained from all participants.

Ethical approval from a recognized ethics committee or institutional review board must be documented.

A statement of consent and ethics approval should be included in the manuscript.

For sensitive data (e.g., personal information, images, interviews), explicit consent for publication must be secured.

🔗 Reference: OECD – Good Practice for Human Research

Use of Animals and Biological Materials
For research involving animals, wildlife, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs):

Authors must follow international standards for animal welfare and responsible biotechnology research.

Necessary approvals from national or institutional Animal Ethics Committees must be obtained.

Research must avoid practices that cause unnecessary harm to species, organisms, or ecosystems.

🔗 Reference: ARRIVE Guidelines for Animal Research

Biosafety and Laboratory Standards
Authors must ensure that their research:

Adheres to biosafety regulations for handling hazardous substances, pathogens, GMOs, or recombinant DNA.

Promotes sustainability and minimizes negative environmental impacts.

Reports data honestly, without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation.

Maintains transparency in laboratory methods, experimental design, and data analysis.

🔗 Reference: COPE – Committee on Publication Ethics

Ethical Responsibility to Society and Environment
Research published in this journal should align with the broader goals of ethical biotechnology practice, environmental safety, biodiversity conservation, and public health considerations. Studies must respect ecological balance, regulatory compliance, and community rights.

Registration of Experimental Studies

Definition of Experimental Studies

Biotechnology Frontiers (eISSN: [to be assigned]) emphasizes transparency, reproducibility, and ethical responsibility in biotechnology research. Experimental studies are structured projects designed to test hypotheses, interventions, protocols, or biotechnological systems to evaluate their performance, safety, efficacy, or applicability. These may include laboratory, greenhouse, field, or clinical biotechnology research.

Examples of biotechnology experimental studies include:

Development and testing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), enzymes, or microbial strains
Laboratory or field trials of novel bioprocesses, biofertilizers, or biopesticides
Clinical, preclinical, or translational studies of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, or therapeutic interventions
Bioremediation or waste management experiments
Synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, or omics-based research
Gene editing or functional genomics experiments

Where applicable, authors should provide details of study registration, ethical approval, or compliance with relevant institutional, national, or international standards when reporting experimental biotechnology research.

Biotechnology Research Ethics and Compliance Policies

Experimental Studies and Laboratory Trials

All experiments, lab studies, greenhouse trials, and field interventions must comply with accepted biosafety, ethical, and regulatory standards.

Authors must clearly describe the objectives, methodology, and safety considerations of their research.

Studies involving GMOs, microbial cultures, or engineered organisms must follow containment and environmental release regulations.

Ethical Approval for Human Participation

Studies involving human participants (e.g., clinical trials, surveys, or biotechnology-based behavioral research) must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board.

Informed consent must be obtained and documented in the manuscript.

Biosafety and Environmental Compliance

Research must ensure safety for humans, animals, and the environment.

Studies involving hazardous chemicals, GMOs, pathogens, or recombinant DNA must adhere to national and international biosafety and environmental standards.

Authors should include a risk assessment or environmental impact statement when relevant.

Data Transparency and Availability

Authors are encouraged to deposit datasets, experimental codes, or supplementary files in trusted public repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, Dryad, NCBI).

A Data Availability Statement must be included in the manuscript, specifying where and how the data can be accessed.

Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest.

If no conflicts exist, the statement should read:

“The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

Intellectual Property and Indigenous Knowledge

Research based on proprietary, patentable, or traditional knowledge must acknowledge and respect legal and ethical considerations, including benefit-sharing agreements where relevant.

Authors must disclose any patents or proprietary restrictions associated with their work.

Replication and Verification

Methods should be reported in sufficient detail to allow independent replication and verification.

Limitations of the study, including uncertainties in experimental or biological systems, should be acknowledged.

Compliance with Publication Ethics

The journal follows COPE guidelines.

Plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate submissions, or unethical research practices will not be tolerated.

All manuscripts are screened for originality using plagiarism detection tools such as iThenticate.

Confidentiality

Editors, reviewers, and authors are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding all aspects of the editorial and peer review process for submitted manuscripts. All correspondence, data, and materials exchanged during review are considered confidential and must not be disclosed outside the editorial process.

Reviewer Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential intellectual property.

The content of a manuscript—including experimental data, biotechnology protocols, laboratory results, genetic or molecular data, or proprietary processes—may not be used for personal, professional, or institutional benefit.

Reviewers are expected to delete or destroy all manuscript files after completing their review.

If technical consultation with colleagues is necessary, prior permission from the editorial office must be obtained.

Reviewer Anonymity

The journal adopts a single-blind peer review system.

Reviewer identities must remain confidential and may not be disclosed to authors.

Reviewers must not contact authors directly without explicit permission from the editorial office.

Editorial Confidentiality

The editorial team will not disclose details of submitted manuscripts—including author identities, experimental data, or peer review reports—to any third party.

Exceptions may be made only in cases of suspected academic misconduct, plagiarism, or data fabrication. In such cases, both authors and reviewers will be informed before confidentiality is lifted.

Retention of Records

If a manuscript is rejected, all files will be removed from the editorial system unless retention is legally or ethically required. In such cases, the journal will seek author permission.

For accepted and published manuscripts, the journal will retain records of submissions, peer review reports, revisions, and editorial correspondence for a minimum of three years, or longer if required by institutional, publisher, or national regulations.

Data and Materials Availability Policy

Biotechnology Frontiers upholds a strict policy on the availability of data, materials, models, and supporting resources to promote transparency, reproducibility, and long-term usability in biotechnology research.

Mandatory Data Availability Statement

All submissions must include a Data and Materials Availability Statement at the end of the manuscript.

Manuscripts without this statement will not be considered for publication.

Public Repositories

Authors are strongly encouraged to deposit datasets, experimental protocols, molecular or genomic data, codes, microbial strains, or other supporting materials in trusted and publicly accessible repositories (e.g., NCBI, Zenodo, Dryad, Figshare, EMBL-EBI, Addgene, GEO, SRA).

Repository links and dataset identifiers (DOI, accession number, or URL) must be cited within the manuscript.

Restricted Access

If data or materials cannot be shared due to confidentiality, intellectual property, legal restrictions, or proprietary technology, authors must provide a clear justification in their Data Availability Statement.

Requests for restricted data should be directed to the corresponding author.

Use of Third-Party Data

If the research relies on third-party datasets (e.g., licensed genomic data, clinical trial datasets, biotechnology databases, or industrial data), authors must acknowledge the original source and provide details on how others may access these materials, if permissible.

No Data Generated

If no new datasets or materials were generated (e.g., review articles, meta-analyses, or theoretical studies), authors must clearly state:

“No new data were generated or analyzed in this study.”

Editorial Oversight

The editorial office may request raw data, experimental logs, molecular sequences, or analytical codes at any stage of peer review to verify results.

Failure to comply may result in rejection, correction, or retraction of the manuscript.

Citation Policy

Proper citation is essential to ensure academic integrity, transparency, and credit to original contributors in biotechnology research.

Author Responsibilities:

Primary Sources: Cite original research articles, experimental studies, or datasets rather than relying solely on review papers.

Accuracy and Relevance: All references must be accurate, relevant, and directly support the statements made.

Diversity of Sources: Cite work from a broad range of countries, institutions, and biotechnology contexts to avoid bias.

Balance: Avoid excessive citation of a single study or too many references for a single point.

Citation Manipulation:
In line with COPE’s guidelines, the following practices are considered unethical:

Excessive self-citation solely to inflate citation counts.

Excessive citation of this journal to boost metrics.

Honorary or coercive citations (e.g., citing editors, reviewers, or well-known biotechnology researchers without legitimate relevance).

Citation stacking, where groups of authors or journals mutually cite each other to artificially increase impact.

Journal Policy on Citation Ethics:

Manuscripts showing evidence of citation manipulation will be rejected immediately.

The journal may report unethical citation practices to the authors’ institutions or funding agencies.

Any coercive citation requests from reviewers or editors must be reported by authors to the publisher.

Editors found guilty of enforcing or practicing citation manipulation may be removed after investigation.

Legitimate Self-Citation:

Some self-citations may be necessary for continuity of research in areas such as genetic engineering, molecular biology, synthetic biology, or bioprocess development.

All such citations must be relevant and justified.

References and Citation Formatting Policy (Environment Journal)

1. General Guidelines

References must be accurate, complete, and directly relevant to the subject matter of biotechnology, molecular biology, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, or related fields.

All cited works must appear in the reference list, and all entries in the reference list must be cited in the text.

Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy of references before submission, particularly for datasets, experimental protocols, genomic sequences, patents, and regulatory guidelines.

2. Citation Style

The journal follows the APA citation style (7th edition), commonly used in life sciences and biotechnology research. Authors should adhere to the following rules:

In-text citations: Use author(s) and year, e.g., (Smith & Jones, 2021) or (NCBI, 2020).

Reference order: References must be listed alphabetically by the first author’s last name.

Reference format: Each reference should include author(s), year, title, journal/book, volume(issue), page numbers, and DOI/URL when available.

3. Examples of APA Reference Style

Journal article:
Smith, A., & Jones, B. (2021). CRISPR-Cas9 applications in plant biotechnology. Journal of Molecular Biotechnology, 19(3), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbio.2021.05.014

Book:
Johnson, M. (2019). Genetic engineering and synthetic biology: Principles and applications (2nd ed.). Springer.

Report:
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (2022). Genomic resources and databases. Bethesda, MD: NCBI.

Website/Online source:
Addgene. (2023). Plasmid repository and protocols. Retrieved from https://www.addgene.org

4. Use of Reference Management Software

Authors are encouraged to use Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, or similar tools to ensure proper formatting and consistency.

5. Citation Integrity

Authors must cite original research studies (e.g., lab experiments, gene expression studies, microbial assays, clinical trials) rather than relying solely on reviews.

Citations should represent a balanced global perspective, avoiding over-reliance on research from a single country, institution, or laboratory.

Excessive self-citations, journal self-citations, or irrelevant citations are prohibited.

Citation manipulation (e.g., stacking, coercion, or honorary citations) will result in rejection, in line with COPE guidelines.

6. Plagiarism

Plagiarism—including copying or reusing text, figures, data, or ideas without attribution—will not be tolerated.

Self-plagiarism, such as reusing large parts of previously published work, must be avoided unless properly cited and significantly extended.

The journal uses iThenticate to screen all submissions for originality.

Confirmed cases of plagiarism will be managed according to COPE flowcharts and may result in rejection, retraction, or institutional notification.

7. Duplicate Publication Policy

The journal publishes only original biotechnology research. Manuscripts must not be under consideration or published elsewhere (including non-English venues).

Exceptions include:

Preprints (e.g., bioRxiv, arXiv, institutional repositories)

Theses or dissertations (institutional requirements)

Conference abstracts or posters (must be cited in the submission)

Datasets shared prior to publication (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, Dryad)

Policy briefs or summaries of biotechnology reports (with proper acknowledgment)

Translations of existing works (with permission and CC BY license)

Duplicate or redundant publications discovered post-publication will be handled as per COPE guidelines and may result in retraction.

8. Related Policies (Cross-Reference)

Authorship Criteria

Plagiarism and Originality

Conflict of Interest

Peer Review Policy

Data and Materials Availability

Research Ethics (Biotechnology Context)

Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawals

Open Access and Copyright

Preprint Policy

Archiving and Digital Preservation

Adherence to COPE Guidelines

Misconduct Policy

Biotechnology Frontiers is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. Any form of misconduct will be investigated in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) guidelines.

Definition of Misconduct

Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

Data Falsification or Fabrication

Altering, omitting, or inventing biological, molecular, genomic, or experimental data.

Examples include manipulating lab results, gene expression data, microbial growth data, sequencing results, or assay outcomes.

Plagiarism

Presenting another researcher’s work, ideas, or data without proper acknowledgment.

Includes copying text, figures, tables, or experimental protocols without citation.

Improper Authorship

Excluding valid contributors, including “guest authors,” honorary authors, or not disclosing duplicate publication.

Misuse of Peer Review

Misappropriating confidential ideas, experimental designs, or unpublished data during the review process.

Regulatory Non-Compliance

Violating ethical standards, safety laws, or biotechnology regulations, including improper handling of genetically modified organisms, biohazardous materials, or patented technologies.

Citation Misconduct

Excessive self-citation, citation manipulation, omission of relevant prior studies, or use of fabricated references.

Monitoring and Reporting

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection tools such as iThenticate.

Reviewers and readers are encouraged to report suspected misconduct.

Allegations are investigated using COPE flowcharts, and outcomes may include:

Rejection of the manuscript

Retraction of the published article

Notification of institutions or funding agencies

Sanctions

Severe cases of misconduct, such as data fabrication, plagiarism, or citation manipulation, may result in:

Retraction of the published article

Banning authors from future submissions

Reporting to academic, institutional, or regulatory authorities

Biotechnology Frontiers upholds integrity, transparency, and accountability to ensure reliable, reproducible, and trustworthy biotechnology research.

Crossmark, Corrections, and Retractions Policy

Biotechnology Frontiers is committed to safeguarding the accuracy, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record in biotechnology research. The journal follows best practices outlined by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) in handling corrections, retractions, and post-publication discussions.

Crossmark

The journal participates in the Crossmark initiative by Crossref, enabling readers to verify whether a published article represents the most recent and reliable version. By clicking the Crossmark logo, readers can confirm the current status of an article and access publication updates.

Corrections

Errors may occasionally occur in biotechnology research (e.g., experimental results, gene expression data, molecular assays, microbial studies, or bioinformatics analyses). To ensure transparency:

Corrections will be issued promptly after verification of the error.

A correction notice will describe the nature of the change and link to the original article.

The original version will remain accessible with a correction note for transparency.

For online-first publications, corrections may be applied directly with an audit trail of edits.

For published issues, a formal correction notice will be issued and linked to the article.

Retractions

In rare but necessary cases, articles may be retracted to preserve the integrity of the biotechnology research record. Retractions may occur if:

Results are unreliable due to errors, data falsification, or fabrication (e.g., manipulated experimental assays, incorrect sequencing data, or invalid molecular analyses).

Plagiarism is detected.

Duplicate publication is identified.

Data, biological materials, or patented technologies are used without authorization.

Undisclosed conflicts of interest influence interpretations.

The peer review process is compromised.

Retraction practices include:

Publishing a linked retraction notice.

Clearly marking the retracted article while keeping it available for transparency.

Specifying article title, authors, reasons for retraction, and responsibility for the decision.

Preprint Policy

The journal supports open science in biotechnology. Authors may deposit manuscripts on preprint servers (e.g., bioRxiv, institutional repositories) at three stages:

Submitted Version (Original Manuscript)

Accepted Version (Post-Peer Review, Before Copyediting)

Published Version of Record

Authors must declare preprints during submission and, after publication, update the preprint with the final DOI and citation.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

To ensure the long-term availability of biotechnology research, all published content is archived in trusted repositories such as Portico and CLOCKSS. Authors are encouraged to deposit accepted versions in institutional or funder-mandated repositories.

Appeals and Complaints

Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing clear justification (e.g., overlooked experimental evidence or misinterpretation of molecular data). Appeals may involve additional peer review. The editor’s post-appeal decision is final.

Complaints: Complaints regarding editorial processes or ethical issues will be handled per COPE guidelines. Complaints involving an editor may be escalated to the publisher.

Post-Publication Discussion

The journal encourages scientific dialogue beyond publication. Readers and researchers may:

Report errors or ethical concerns to the editorial office.

Submit Letters to the Editor, Technical Notes, or Comments on published articles.

Engage in open scholarly debate to strengthen the reliability and reproducibility of biotechnology research.

Ethical Standards and Guidelines

Biotechnology Frontiers aligns with:

COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

WAME (World Association of Medical Editors)

ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors)

Biotechnology Publication Ethics Guidelines (including guidelines from WHO, OECD, and relevant international biotechnology and molecular biology bodies)

Editorial Policies

Journal Information

Contents