The SCICONX Journal of Advances in Diabetes Biology (JADB) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity, transparency, and editorial independence. This Editorial Policy outlines the principles and procedures governing manuscript evaluation, publication ethics, authorship standards, data integrity, and editorial decision-making.

Our mission is to ensure that all published content reflects rigorous scientific methodology, ethical research conduct, and meaningful contribution to the field of diabetes biology.

1. Editorial Independence

JADB operates under full editorial independence. Editorial decisions are based solely on:

• Scientific merit
• Methodological rigor
• Relevance to the journal’s scope
• Ethical compliance
• Contribution to advancing knowledge

Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, funding sources, or personal relationships.

2. Scope and Content Standards

Manuscripts submitted to JADB must align with the journal’s focus on biological mechanisms underlying diabetes and metabolic dysfunction. Priority is given to research that:

• Provides mechanistic insight rather than purely descriptive findings
• Demonstrates methodological transparency and reproducibility
• Advances understanding at molecular, cellular, systemic, or translational levels

Submissions that fall outside the defined scope may be declined at the initial editorial screening stage.

3. Peer Review Integrity

JADB follows a structured double-blind peer review process to ensure unbiased evaluation.

Review Principles

• Objectivity and fairness
• Confidential handling of manuscripts
• Constructive feedback to authors
• Evidence-based recommendations

Editors oversee reviewer selection to minimize conflicts of interest and maintain subject-matter relevance.

4. Authorship Criteria

Authorship must reflect substantial scholarly contribution. All listed authors must have:

• Contributed to the conceptualization, design, execution, or interpretation of the study
• Participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript
• Approved the final submitted version
• Agreed to be accountable for the integrity of the work

Guest, honorary, or ghost authorship is strictly prohibited.

5. Conflict of Interest Disclosure

All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose potential conflicts of interest, including:

• Financial relationships
• Institutional affiliations
• Advisory roles
• Patent interests
• Personal relationships that may influence judgment

Conflict disclosures are evaluated during editorial review and may be published alongside accepted articles when relevant.

6. Research Ethics Compliance

Human Subjects Research

Studies involving human participants must:

• Follow internationally recognized ethical principles
• Provide documentation of ethics committee or IRB approval
• Confirm informed consent from participants

Animal Research

Animal studies must:

• Follow recognized animal welfare guidelines
• Include ethical approval statements
• Justify the use of animal models scientifically

Failure to provide adequate ethical documentation may result in rejection.

7. Data Transparency and Reproducibility

JADB promotes research reproducibility and transparency. Authors are encouraged to:

• Provide sufficient methodological detail
• Include raw data availability statements
• Share datasets in public repositories when feasible
• Disclose analytical software and code used

Editors may request additional data or clarification during review if necessary.

8. Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

JADB enforces strict policies against:

• Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism)
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Image manipulation
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Unethical citation practices

All submissions undergo similarity screening. Suspected misconduct is investigated according to established publishing ethics procedures. Confirmed violations may result in:

• Manuscript rejection
• Article retraction
• Notification to institutions or funding agencies

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Updates

If significant errors are identified after publication, JADB will take appropriate corrective action, including:

• Publishing corrections (errata or corrigenda)
• Issuing expressions of concern
• Retracting articles when necessary

Retractions are conducted transparently and clearly labelled to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

10. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may submit formal appeals against editorial decisions. Appeals must:

• Provide detailed scientific justification
• Address specific reviewer or editorial concerns
• Present new evidence if applicable

Appeals are reviewed independently by senior editorial leadership. Decisions after appeal are final.

11. Editorial Confidentiality

Editors and reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding:

• Manuscript content
• Reviewer identities
• Editorial discussions

Unpublished data may not be used for personal research or shared externally.

12. Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies

Authors using AI-based tools for data analysis, language editing, or modeling must:

• Disclose AI usage clearly
• Ensure human oversight and accountability
• Confirm accuracy and scientific validity

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

13. Advertising and Commercial Influence

JADB maintains a strict separation between editorial decisions and any commercial or advertising activities. Sponsorship or financial contributions do not influence publication outcomes.

14. Open Access Policy

JADB is an open-access journal. All accepted articles:

• Are freely accessible worldwide
• Are published under a defined open license
• Ensure maximum dissemination and citation visibility

Authors retain copyright while granting publishing rights to the journal.

15. Continuous Policy Review

Editorial policies are periodically reviewed and updated to align with evolving best practices in scholarly publishing. Revisions are communicated transparently on the journal website.

Commitment to Excellence

The SCICONX Journal of Advances in Diabetes Biology (JADB) is dedicated to fostering a culture of ethical scholarship, scientific rigor, and responsible publication. Through clear editorial governance and transparent processes, we aim to build a trusted platform that advances global research in diabetes biology.