Editorial Governance

The Journal of Applied Therapeutics operates under a structured editorial framework designed to ensure academic integrity, transparency, and process discipline. Responsibilities are clearly defined across roles to maintain consistency, quality, and accountability.

Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief provides overall academic leadership and strategic direction of the journal.

Defines scope, standards, and editorial policies
Oversees integrity, ethics, and positioning of the journal
Acts as final escalation authority in exceptional or disputed cases
Represents the journal at an institutional and academic level

Managing Editor

The Managing Editor drives the operational workflow of the journal.

Oversees submission flow, timelines, and process discipline
Coordinates between Editor, Associate Editor, Assistant Editors, authors, and reviewers
Ensures consistency, completeness, and adherence to workflow
Maintains operational control of the journal system (OJS)

Editor

The Editor is responsible for the academic handling of manuscripts.

Conducts initial editorial screening (scope, quality, relevance)
Selects and assigns reviewers
Evaluates reviewer feedback
Makes editorial decisions (accept / revise / reject)
Ensures academic quality and consistency of published content

Associate Editor

The Associate Editor supports the academic handling of manuscripts within assigned domains.

Conducts preliminary assessment of submissions for relevance and completeness
Recommends suitable reviewers based on subject expertise
Assists in coordinating the peer review process
Provides input on reviewer feedback and manuscript quality
Recommends editorial decisions to the Editor

The Associate Editor functions within the editorial framework and does not make final publication decisions.

Assistant Editors

Assistant Editors support the editorial process under the direction of the Editor.

Conduct initial submission checks (format, completeness)
Identify and suggest appropriate reviewers
Coordinate reviewer invitations and follow-ups
Track timelines and flag delays or issues

Assistant Editors do not make editorial decisions.

Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board Members contribute to the academic quality, integrity, and development of the journal. Their role is selective, expertise-driven, and non-operational.

Responsibilities

Review manuscripts within their area of expertise when invited
Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations
Maintain confidentiality of submitted work
Advise on journal scope, direction, and emerging areas of relevance
Provide input on academic positioning and content quality when required
Uphold standards of scientific rigor, ethics, and publication integrity
Identify concerns related to plagiarism, misconduct, or ethical issues
Suggest appropriate reviewers within their domain
Encourage high-quality submissions from relevant academic networks
Support the journal’s visibility within academic and professional circles

Role Boundaries

Do not participate in routine manuscript handling
Do not make final editorial decisions (these rest with the Editor)
No fixed administrative duties or time commitments

Ethical Expectations

Declare conflicts of interest where applicable
Maintain independence and objectivity
Adhere to accepted publication ethics standards (COPE/ICMJE aligned)

Advisory Panel

The Advisory Panel provides high-level academic guidance on the journal’s direction and positioning.

Offers perspective on scope, relevance, and emerging areas
Provides strategic academic input when appropriate

The role is non-operational and consultative, with no routine responsibilities or time commitments.

Governance Principle

The journal operates on a layered structure:

Editorial leadership and policy are defined at the top
Workflow is centrally coordinated
Editorial decisions are made independently within this framework
Advisory input remains non-operational

This structure ensures clarity of roles, consistency of process, and integrity of academic decision-making.