Introducing Laboratory Protocols and Software Tools to BioTechniques

BioTechniques is proud to announce the introduction of two new article types: Laboratory Protocols and Software Tools. These additions expand the journal’s diverse portfolio of article types, which includes Reports, Reviews, Benchmarks, White Papers and Letters to the Editor.

With growing interest from the research community in documenting a variety of methods and outputs that underpin scientific discovery, the introduction of these article types opens up new avenues for sharing the processes and tools that drive research forward.

What is a Laboratory Protocol?

A Laboratory Protocol is a peer-reviewed article containing a detailed, predefined set of written instructions that outlines the steps and use cases for conducting specific experimental or analytical procedures, including computational analysis. These protocols are submitted after the research activity has been completed and results achieved, ensuring the methods have been thoroughly tested and validated.

Key benefits of publishing a Laboratory Protocol

• Enhances research reproducibility, enabling other scientists to replicate experiments accurately
• Develops research skills by facilitating the transfer of technical knowledge between research groups
• Increases recognition for researchers when other researchers use and reference their protocol
• Reduces research waste by streamlining processes and improving accuracy in laboratory procedures

What is a Software Tool?

A Software Tool is a peer-reviewed article detailing the rationale for the development of a computational tool and the code used for its construction. The article provides examples of suitable input datasets and includes an example of the output that can be expected from the tool as well as how this output should be interpreted, providing visibility and acknowledgement for sharing software online.

Key benefits of publishing a Software Tool

• Enhances the visibility, usability and reproducibility of research code and software
• Provides a citable publication to credit researchers for their software contributions
• Fosters interdisciplinary collaborations

As a journal that serves the life science community and supports researchers from other disciplines seeking life science applications for their technologies, we hope that by introducing these new article types, it will not only enhance the reproducibility and accuracy of scientific research but also foster collaboration and innovation across disciplines.

BioTechniques invites researchers to explore these new formats. If you are interested in publishing in the journal, please contact the BioTechniques Editorial Office ([email protected]).