Science Translational Medicine

Science Translational Medicine
Title	Science Translational Medicine
Discipline	Biomedical research
Abbreviation	Sci. Transl. Med.
Publisher	American Association for the Advancement of Science
Country	United States
History	2009–present
Frequency	Weekly
Issn	1946-6242

Science Translational Medicine Science Translational Medicine is a peer-reviewed journal publishing biomedical research that bridges laboratory discoveries and clinical applications. The journal, produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, presents studies that connect molecular biology, clinical trials, and therapeutic development. It serves as a venue for collaborations among investigators from universities, biotechnology companies, hospitals, and regulatory agencies.

History

Science Translational Medicine was launched in 2009 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, joining publications such as Science (journal), Science Signaling, and Science Advances. Its founding reflected growing interest from figures and institutions including Francis Collins, Elias Zerhouni, Anthony Fauci, and organizations like the National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Early editorial direction drew on editorial models from periodicals such as Nature Medicine, The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, and Cell. The journal’s inception occurred amid translational initiatives like the NIH Roadmap and programs at universities such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. Over successive editorial tenures, comparisons were made to scholarly trends at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press and publishing developments involving Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley-Blackwell.

Scope and Focus

The journal focuses on work that links basic research and clinical practice, featuring contributions that range from molecular pathways studied by groups at Broad Institute, Salk Institute, and Max Planck Society to clinical trials run through centers like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Topics include translational oncology tied to discoveries at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center, immunotherapy developments following models from Karolinska Institutet and University of Pennsylvania, biomarker validation related to efforts at European Medicines Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and regenerative medicine building on work at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and University of California, San Francisco. The journal publishes original research, reviews, perspectives, and methodological reports that intersect with initiatives like Human Genome Project, Human Cell Atlas, BRAIN Initiative, and consortia such as 21st Century Cures Act-related programs.

Editorial Structure and Policies

Editorial leadership has typically been drawn from senior scientists associated with institutions like American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Academy of Sciences, Royal Society, and university medical centers including Yale University and Columbia University. The peer review process involves external reviewers from organizations such as European Molecular Biology Organization, American Society for Clinical Oncology, and specialty societies including American Association of Immunologists and American Society for Microbiology. Policies emphasize data transparency influenced by standards from International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, Committee on Publication Ethics, and funders such as Wellcome Trust and European Research Council. Conflict-of-interest and clinical-trial registration practices echo requirements from World Health Organization and registers like ClinicalTrials.gov.

Publication and Access Model

Published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the journal follows a hybrid open-access model similar to policies at Nature Publishing Group, Cell Press, and Oxford University Press. Subscription and institutional access involve libraries at Harvard University Library, Library of Congress, and consortia like JSTOR subscribers, while open-access options accommodate mandates from funders including National Institutes of Health, European Commission, and Wellcome Trust. The production workflow uses editorial management systems relied on by publishers such as ScholarOne and Editorial Manager, and it aligns with indexing in databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Impact and Reception

The journal has been cited in contexts ranging from policy discussions at U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory meetings to translational programs at National Institutes of Health centers and philanthropic initiatives by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Its articles have influenced clinical practice guidelines from bodies like American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association and have been discussed in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nature (journal), and Science (journal). Citation metrics compare with those of Nature Medicine, The Lancet Oncology, and JAMA, and impact has been assessed by analyses at institutions including Clarivate Analytics and Altmetric.

Notable Publications and Contributions

Notable reports have included early demonstrations of biomarker-guided therapy affecting oncology practice at centers like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, advances in immunotherapy linked to work from University of Pennsylvania and Sloan Kettering Institute, and translational studies on infectious disease related to investigators at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Institut Pasteur, University of Oxford, and Imperial College London. Contributions have spurred follow-on development by biotechnology firms such as Genentech, Amgen, Moderna, Gilead Sciences, Biogen, and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and influenced regulatory decisions at European Medicines Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The journal has published influential methodological standards echoing initiatives like CONSORT, translational paradigms resonant with projects at Broad Institute and Salk Institute, and multidisciplinary collaborations involving universities such as Princeton University, University of Cambridge, University of California, Berkeley, and Tokyo University.

Category:Biomedical journals Category:Academic journals established in 2009