Editorial Structure and Governance Model

1. Purpose

This page describes how Trends and Reviews in Medicine and Biomedical Engineering (TRMBE) is organized, who is responsible for editorial decisions, how members of the editorial team are appointed, and how the journal safeguards its editorial independence. The journal is published by INATGI and follows the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the principles of editorial independence set out by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

2. Editorial Structure

The editorial team consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Associate Editors, the Editorial Board Members, and the Editorial Office. Their names and affiliations are listed on the Editorial Team page, which is kept up to date. Each role is described below.

2.1 Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief has overall responsibility for the scientific content and editorial direction of the journal. The Editor-in-Chief:

  • takes the final decision on the acceptance or rejection of every manuscript, on the recommendation of the handling editor;
  • sets the journal's scope, article types, and editorial policies, in consultation with the Associate Editors and the publisher;
  • appoints Associate Editors and Editorial Board Members and reviews their contribution;
  • assigns manuscripts to handling editors and ensures that peer review is conducted according to the journal's Peer Review Policy;
  • commissions reviews on topics of importance to the field and approves proposals for special issues;
  • handles appeals, complaints, and allegations of misconduct in accordance with COPE guidance, referring to the publisher matters that concern the Editor-in-Chief personally;
  • represents the journal to the research community and reports annually to the Editorial Board and the publisher on the journal's performance.

The Editor-in-Chief is appointed by the publisher following consultation with the Editorial Board, for a term of three years, renewable once. The Editor-in-Chief may not be removed during a term for reasons connected with editorial decisions.

2.2 Associate Editors

Associate Editors are senior researchers and clinicians who each cover a defined area within the journal's scope. Acting as handling editors, they:

  • conduct the initial assessment of manuscripts assigned to them and advise whether the manuscript should proceed to external review;
  • select and invite reviewers, monitor the progress of review, and ensure that each round of review involves at least two independent experts;
  • evaluate the reviewers' reports together with their own reading of the manuscript and make a reasoned recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief;
  • assess revised manuscripts and the authors' responses to reviewers;
  • advise the Editor-in-Chief on editorial policy, on the recruitment of Editorial Board Members and reviewers, and on topics for commissioned reviews;
  • may act as Guest Editors for special issues within their area.

Associate Editors are appointed by the Editor-in-Chief for a term of three years, renewable. An Associate Editor may deputize for the Editor-in-Chief when the Editor-in-Chief is unavailable or has a conflict of interest.

2.3 Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board Members are experts whose collective expertise covers the range of medicine and biomedical engineering addressed by the journal. They:

  • review manuscripts in their area of expertise, typically five to ten manuscripts per year, and provide timely, constructive reports;
  • advise the editors on the suitability of manuscripts and reviewers within their area;
  • propose topics for reviews and special issues and may be invited to contribute reviews;
  • promote the journal within their professional networks and encourage high-quality submissions;
  • participate in the annual Editorial Board meeting and respond to consultations on editorial policy.

Editorial Board Members are appointed by the Editor-in-Chief for a term of three years, renewable subject to active participation. The board is reviewed annually; members who have been unable to contribute during a term may be invited to step down so that the board reflects those actively engaged in the journal's work. The journal seeks a board that is balanced across the disciplines within its scope and across geographic regions.

2.4 Guest Editors

Special issues or thematic collections may be led by one or more Guest Editors appointed by the Editor-in-Chief. Guest Editors propose the theme and scope, invite contributions, and act as handling editors for manuscripts in the collection. All manuscripts in a special issue undergo the journal's standard peer review, and final acceptance decisions remain with the Editor-in-Chief. Guest Editors may not handle manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, including manuscripts they have co-authored, and their own contributions to a special issue are handled by an Associate Editor.

2.5 Editorial Office

The Editorial Office, operated by the publisher, provides the administrative support for the journal. It checks new submissions for completeness and compliance with the Author Guidelines, runs text-similarity screening, manages correspondence with authors and reviewers, tracks timelines, coordinates copyediting, typesetting, and publication of accepted articles, and maintains the journal website and records. The Editorial Office does not take editorial decisions. It can be contacted at editorial@inatgi.net.

2.6 Publisher

INATGI is responsible for the publication, hosting, distribution, indexing, and long-term preservation of the journal, for its financial management including article processing charges and waivers, and for legal and ethical compliance at the publisher level. The publisher appoints the Editor-in-Chief, provides the resources needed for the journal to operate, and supports the editors in handling allegations of misconduct, but does not participate in decisions about individual manuscripts.

3. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of scholarly merit, relevance to the journal's scope, and compliance with its policies. The publisher does not interfere in the evaluation, selection, scheduling, or editing of individual manuscripts, and does not influence decisions for commercial, financial, or reputational reasons. The Editor-in-Chief has full authority over the editorial content of the journal and over the timing of publication of that content.

Revenue from article processing charges is managed by the publisher separately from the editorial process. Editors and reviewers are not informed whether an author has requested or received a fee waiver, and the ability to pay has no bearing on editorial decisions. Any advertising, sponsorship, or other commercial arrangements entered into by the publisher are kept separate from editorial decision-making and are disclosed on the journal website.

4. Conflicts of Interest within the Editorial Team

All members of the editorial team must declare potential conflicts of interest on appointment and update their declarations when circumstances change. An editor does not handle a manuscript if they:

  • are an author or contributor of the manuscript;
  • work at the same institution as any author;
  • have collaborated or co-authored with any author within the past five years;
  • have a personal, financial, or competitive relationship with any author or with the subject of the manuscript.

Manuscripts submitted by the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Editorial Board Members, or Guest Editors are handled by another editor with no connection to the authors. The submitting editor has no access to the manuscript's records, reviewer identities, or editorial discussion, and the manuscript is subject to the same single-blind review by at least two independent reviewers as any other submission. Where the Editor-in-Chief is an author, the final decision is taken by an Associate Editor designated for that purpose.

5. Decision-Making and Accountability

The route from submission to decision is described in the Peer Review Policy. In summary, the Editorial Office checks each submission, a handling editor conducts an initial assessment within 7 days, external review by at least two independent experts follows, the handling editor recommends a decision, and the Editor-in-Chief takes the final decision, normally within 4 weeks of submission. Decision letters explain the reasons for the decision and include the reviewers' comments.

Authors may appeal a decision on the grounds set out in the Peer Review Policy. Appeals are considered by an editor not involved in the original decision. Complaints about the conduct of editors are considered by the Editor-in-Chief or, where they concern the Editor-in-Chief, by the publisher.

The Editor-in-Chief reports annually to the Editorial Board and the publisher on submissions, acceptance rates, time to decision, reviewer performance, the composition of the board, and any ethical cases handled during the year. The Editorial Board meets at least once a year, in person or online, to review the journal's performance and policies.

6. Policy Development and Review

The journal's editorial policies, including the Author Guidelines, Peer Review Policy, Open Access and Copyright Policy, and this document, are proposed by the Editor-in-Chief, discussed with the Associate Editors and Editorial Board, and adopted with the agreement of the publisher. Policies are reviewed at least every two years and whenever changes in publishing standards, indexing requirements, or the law make revision necessary. Changes are announced on the journal website with the date on which they take effect.

7. Contact

Questions about the journal's editorial structure and governance should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief through the Editorial Office at editorial@inatgi.net.