Journal profile · Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Stem Cell Research
ISSN 1873-5061 · eISSN 1876-7753 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Bimonthly · Founded 2007
Stem Cell Research: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 0.55; fully open access; APC about USD 2,460; median 72 days to acceptance (104 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 25%; 246 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Stem Cell Research is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Pluripotent Stem Cells Research, CRISPR and Genetic Engineering and Renal and related cancers, together about 54.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Molecular Biology and Genetics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Stem Cell Research is dedicated to publishing high-quality manuscripts focusing on the biology and applications of stem cell research. Submissions to Stem Cell Research, may cover all aspects of stem cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells, embryonic stem cells, tissue-specific stem cells, cancer stem cells, developmental studies, and genomics or translational research. Special focus of SCR are Lab Resource articles which allow authors to report on the development of new pluripotent stem cell lines, genetically modified stem cell line, or stem cell-related laboratory protocols using a condensed and structured format. The article processing charge (APC) for Lab Resource articles is $870. The reporting of new human pluripotent stem cell lines is carried out in partnership with the human pluripotent stem cell registry (https://hpscreg.eu/) to enable standardization and findability of stem cell lines for the stem cell research community.The journal publishes:o Research articleso Short communicationso Reviewso Graphical Reviewso Lab Resource: New stem cell lineso Lab Resource: Genetically modified stem cell lineso Lab Resource: Protocols
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 3%); most named United States 19, United Kingdom 10, Germany 7, Canada 3, Australia 3 (61 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Pluripotent Stem Cells ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology28.3%
- CRISPR and Genetic EngineeringBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology20.1%
- Renal and related cancersBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.7%
- Congenital heart defects researchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.1%
- Biomedical Ethics and RegulationMedicine3.1%
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineMedicine3.1%
- Mesenchymal stem cell researchMedicine3%
- Retinal Development and DisordersBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell & Tissue Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell & Tissue Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell & Tissue Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 0.55LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 0.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 1.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 1.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.33LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.32LetPub ·
- h-index
- 55LetPub ·
- h-index
- 98OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,201OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.73OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 16.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 234LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,151 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 207 | 207 | 29 |
| 2025 | 246 | 246 | 135 |
| 2024 | 343 | 343 | 416 |
| 2023 | 281 | 281 | 537 |
| 2022 | 361 | 361 | 1,190 |
| 2021 | 487 | 487 | 2,728 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
72 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 44 days – 115 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (104 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 73 days
- Sample
- 104 articles with submission and acceptance dates (575 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 25%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 59 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 67 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 91 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 15 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 2,460 | Yes | CC BY, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-ND | |
| OpenAlex | USD 2,360 / EUR 2,210 / GBP 1,890 / JPY 292,710 | — | — | |
| LetPub | USD 2,210 | Yes | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 870 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Vancouver
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted12
- graphical reviewso Graphical ReviewsLength not stated
- lab resource: genetically modified stem cell lineso Lab Resource: Genetically modified stem cell linesLength not stated
- lab resource: new stem cell lineso Lab Resource: New stem cell linesLength not stated
- lab resource: protocolso Lab Resource: ProtocolsLength not stated
- research articleResearch papersShort communicationsReview articlesTechnical notes (Methods and Reagents)Lab resourcesGraphical reviewTypes of articlesResearch articlesResearch …Length not stated
- research articlesThe journal publishes: o Research articlesLength not stated
- research paperResearch papersShort communicationsReview articlesTechnical notes (Methods and Reagents)Lab resourcesGraphical reviewTypes of articlesResearch articlesResearch …Length not stated
- reviewResearch papersShort communicationsReview articlesTechnical notes (Methods and Reagents)Lab resourcesGraphical reviewTypes of articlesResearch articlesResearch …Length not stated
- review articleResearch papersShort communicationsReview articlesTechnical notes (Methods and Reagents)Lab resourcesGraphical reviewTypes of articlesResearch articlesResearch …Length not stated
- reviewso ReviewsLength not stated
- short communicationResearch papersShort communicationsReview articlesTechnical notes (Methods and Reagents)Lab resourcesGraphical reviewTypes of articlesResearch articlesResearch …Length not stated
- short communicationso Short communicationsLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Elsevier Publishing Ethics Policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 2007
- ISSN
- 1873-5061
- Electronic ISSN
- 1876-7753
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗DOAJ
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗DOAJ
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗DOAJ
- Editorial board ↗DOAJ
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Stem Cell Research
What CAS zone is Stem Cell Research in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Stem Cell Research is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology / Cell & Tissue Engineering / Cell Biology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Stem Cell Research?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 0.55; CiteScore 1.2, h-index 98.
How long does peer review take at Stem Cell Research?
Based on the dates recorded on 104 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 72 days (interquartile range 44–115 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 25%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Stem Cell Research?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Vancouver; Templates: LaTeX and Word; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Stem Cell Research based?
Of the 61 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (19), United Kingdom (10) and Germany (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Stem Cell Research?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Stem Cell Research is indexed in SCIE, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is Stem Cell Research open access, and what is the APC?
Stem Cell Research is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 2,460.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex, DOAJ; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .