The Journal of Biomedical Engineering (JBE) relies on the expertise and dedication of its editorial board to maintain the highest standards of academic publishing. Editors play a vital role in ensuring the quality, integrity, and fairness of the peer review process while promoting innovation and advancing knowledge in the field of biomedical engineering.

This document provides clear guidance for editors on their responsibilities and best practices.

1. Editorial Responsibilities

Editors are expected to:

• Ensure that every manuscript undergoes an objective and fair review process.
• Assign suitable reviewers based on subject expertise, availability, and impartiality.
• Provide constructive feedback to authors, supporting the enhancement of manuscript quality.
• Uphold the journal’s ethical publishing standards and policies.
• Make editorial decisions solely based on the scientific merit, originality, and relevance of the work.

2. Manuscript Handling Process

1. Initial Assessment:
   • Verify that the submission aligns with the journal’s scope and complies with author guidelines.
   • Conduct an initial quality and plagiarism check before sending for peer review.
2. Reviewer Selection:
   • Identify at least two independent experts with appropriate subject knowledge.
   • Ensure diversity of reviewers to avoid bias and conflict of interest.
3. Decision Making:
   • Evaluate reviewer feedback and recommend one of the following decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
   • Ensure that decisions are transparent, well-justified, and communicated promptly to authors.

3. Ethical Standards

Editors must:

• Treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.
• Avoid conflicts of interest; if a conflict exists, reassign the manuscript to another editor.
• Ensure ethical compliance in studies involving humans, animals, or sensitive data.
• Take immediate action in cases of suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or misconduct.

4. Communication with Authors and Reviewers

• Provide clear, respectful, and timely communication to authors.
• Maintain a professional relationship with reviewers and acknowledge their contributions.
• Encourage constructive critique that enhances the scientific quality of manuscripts.

5. Decision Authority

• The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority on manuscript acceptance or rejection.
• Section Editors and Associate Editors should make recommendations, but final validation rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

6. Timeliness

• Editors are expected to handle manuscripts promptly, ensuring that authors receive decisions within a reasonable timeframe.
• Delays should be avoided; if unavoidable, editors must notify the editorial office and authors.

7. Promoting the Journal

Editors are encouraged to:

• Actively promote the journal within their professional networks.
• Recommend high-quality submissions from conferences, research groups, and institutions.
• Contribute editorials, opinion pieces, or special issue proposals in their area of expertise.

8. Continuous Improvement

The journal values feedback from editors to improve processes. Editors are invited to share recommendations on policy, workflow, and reviewer engagement strategies.

The success of the Journal of Biomedical Engineering depends on the commitment of its editors to uphold quality, fairness, and academic integrity. By following these instructions, editors contribute to the journal’s mission of advancing biomedical engineering research for the benefit of the global community.