Recommendation on "How to publish in Cell Metabolism"

On 31.07.2025, Patrick Schäfer, Scientific Editor of Cell Metabolism, presented key aspects of publishing in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The focus was on three core elements of a manuscript, which editors evaluate before the peer review phase:

Title: It should be formulated as declaratively as possible, and what was discovered should be clearly stated.
Abstract: Must convey the study's hypothesis, novelty, and physiological or pathophysiological relevance.
Cover Letter: It should not be copied from the abstract but should highlight the originality of the work and establish a connection to already published work in the journal.
These three components form the basis for the initial editorial decision.

Another point discussed was the Cell Press multi-journal submission system. It allows authors to submit a manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals for review. Editors collectively decide whether a review process should be initiated. If multiple journals are interested, authors receive an overview of the options and can choose to proceed. A joint reviewer panel conducts the review, and the decision is summarized in a single letter.

Cell Metabolism emphasizes physiologically relevant research on diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cancer, aging) and therapeutic relevance. Studies with mechanistic depth and, ideally, evidence from human systems are especially in demand.