Aims & Scope
International Journal of Inflammation Research publishes mechanistic, translational, and clinical research on inflammation across immune-mediated diseases, infection responses, and tissue injury pathways.
Inflammatory Mechanisms
Immune Dysregulation
Cytokine Signaling
Inflammasome Biology
Therapeutic Targets
Exclusion Note: We do NOT consider general clinical case reports without mechanistic insights, purely descriptive epidemiology, or research outside inflammation biology.
Core Research Domains
Tier 1: Priority
Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation
- Inflammasome activation and regulation (NLRP3, AIM2, pyrin)
- Cytokine and chemokine signaling networks
- Pattern recognition receptors (TLRs, NLRs, RLRs)
- NF-κB and MAPK pathway regulation
- Resolution of inflammation and pro-resolving mediators
- Cellular stress responses in inflammatory contexts
Typical Fit: Studies elucidating NLRP3 inflammasome priming mechanisms in macrophages during sterile inflammation, with functional validation and therapeutic implications.
Tier 1: Priority
Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases
- Autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Chronic inflammatory skin conditions (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis)
- Allergic inflammation and hypersensitivity responses
- Autoinflammatory syndromes and periodic fever disorders
- Inflammatory arthropathies and joint pathology
Typical Fit: Mechanistic studies of T cell dysfunction in inflammatory bowel disease, linking immune cell phenotypes to tissue damage and clinical outcomes.
Tier 1: Priority
Infection-Induced Inflammation
- Host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion
- Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic inflammation
- Sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome
- Chronic infections and persistent inflammation
- Microbiome dysbiosis and inflammatory consequences
- Vaccine-induced inflammatory responses
Typical Fit: Research on cytokine storm mechanisms in viral pneumonia, identifying therapeutic targets to modulate excessive inflammation without compromising pathogen clearance.
Tier 1: Priority
Inflammation in Chronic Diseases
- Cardiovascular inflammation and atherosclerosis
- Metabolic inflammation (obesity, diabetes, NAFLD)
- Neuroinflammation (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke)
- Cancer-associated inflammation and tumor microenvironment
- Pulmonary inflammation (asthma, COPD, fibrosis)
- Renal inflammation and glomerulonephritis
Typical Fit: Studies examining how chronic low-grade inflammation drives insulin resistance in adipose tissue, with molecular pathway analysis and intervention strategies.
Secondary Focus Areas
Therapeutic Interventions
- Anti-inflammatory drug development and mechanisms
- Biologics targeting cytokines and immune checkpoints
- Small molecule inhibitors of inflammatory pathways
- Immunomodulatory therapies and cell-based treatments
- Natural products and dietary interventions
- Drug repurposing for inflammatory conditions
Translational & Clinical Research
- Biomarker discovery and validation studies
- Clinical trial results with mechanistic endpoints
- Precision medicine approaches to inflammatory diseases
- Pharmacogenomics of anti-inflammatory therapies
- Patient stratification and treatment response prediction
- Real-world evidence and outcomes research
Methodological Innovations
- Advanced imaging of inflammatory processes
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Organoid and 3D culture models of inflammation
- Systems biology and network analysis
- Machine learning for inflammation prediction
- Novel animal models of inflammatory diseases
Cross-Disciplinary Topics
- Inflammation and aging (inflammaging)
- Environmental triggers of inflammation
- Psychoneuroimmunology and stress-induced inflammation
- Exercise and inflammation modulation
- Circadian regulation of inflammatory responses
- Sex differences in inflammatory disease susceptibility
Emerging Research Frontiers
Trained Immunity & Epigenetics
- Innate immune memory and metabolic reprogramming
- Epigenetic modifications in inflammatory cells
- Long-term consequences of early-life inflammation
- BCG and other trained immunity inducers
Extracellular Vesicles & Communication
- Exosomes in inflammatory signaling
- Microvesicles and apoptotic bodies
- Cell-free DNA and inflammatory responses
- Therapeutic applications of engineered vesicles
Artificial Intelligence Applications
- Machine learning for inflammation biomarker discovery
- AI-driven drug target identification
- Predictive modeling of disease progression
- Deep learning for histopathology analysis
Mitochondrial Inflammation
- Mitochondrial DAMPs and inflammasome activation
- Mitophagy in inflammatory regulation
- Metabolic reprogramming of immune cells
- Mitochondria-targeted anti-inflammatory therapies
Editorial Note: Emerging area submissions undergo additional editorial review to ensure sufficient mechanistic depth and relevance to inflammation biology. Purely computational or theoretical work must include experimental validation or clear translational potential.
Out of Scope
- General clinical case reports: Single patient observations without mechanistic investigation, novel biomarker validation, or therapeutic insights are not considered.
- Purely descriptive epidemiology: Population studies without molecular, cellular, or mechanistic components related to inflammation pathways.
- Non-inflammatory disease mechanisms: Research on diseases where inflammation is incidental rather than central to pathogenesis (e.g., primary genetic disorders without immune involvement).
- General immunology without inflammation focus: Adaptive immunity, vaccine development, or transplantation studies unless directly addressing inflammatory mechanisms.
- Unrelated artificial intelligence applications: AI/ML research not specifically addressing inflammation biology, biomarker discovery, or therapeutic development in inflammatory contexts.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Priority 1: Fast-Track
Expedited Review
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
- Methods & Resources
- Registered Reports
Priority 2: Standard
Regular Review
- Short Communications
- Data Notes
- Perspectives & Commentaries
- Technical Notes
Rarely Considered
Selective Acceptance
- Case Reports (exceptional only)
- Opinion Pieces
- Hypothesis Articles
- Letters to Editor
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
All submissions must adhere to discipline-specific reporting standards. Manuscripts not following appropriate guidelines will be returned without review.
Data & Ethics Policy
- Raw data deposition in public repositories required
- Ethics approval documentation for human/animal studies
- Informed consent statements for patient data
- Conflict of interest disclosure mandatory
- Clinical trial registration (ICMJE standards)
- Material and code availability statements
Preprint Policy
We welcome submissions previously posted on recognized preprint servers (bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv). Preprint posting does not affect consideration. Authors must disclose preprint DOI at submission and update preprint with journal DOI upon acceptance.
Reproducibility Standards
- Detailed methods with reagent identifiers (RRID)
- Statistical analysis plans and power calculations
- Biological replicates clearly distinguished
- Image processing and quantification protocols
- Antibody validation and specificity data
- Cell line authentication certificates
Publication Metrics & Timeline
21 days
Median First Decision
35%
Acceptance Rate
14 days
Time to Publication
Open
Access Model
