ASBMB Today Submissions

Submissions

Write for ASBMB Today

ASBMB Today is the award-winning member magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, created to inform, connect and amplify the stories of scientists driving discovery through biochemistry and molecular biology. The magazine is updated regularly online and delivered in print to ASBMB members four times a year.

ASBMB Today features stories, perspectives and reporting relevant to scientists across the molecular life sciences, with a strong focus on issues that matter to life scientists. Content published in the magazine reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official positions of ASBMB or the authors’ institutions. References to products or services do not imply endorsement by ASBMB.

All submissions, pitches and inquiries should be sent to asbmbtoday@asbmb.org.

Overview

About our content

ASBMB Today publishes stories and updates for the molecular life science community, including:

Coverage of current and emerging trends in molecular life science
Personal essays and first-person perspectives from scientists and trainees
News and analysis of federal budgetary, policy and legislative issues affecting biomedical research
Stories about emerging and established scientists
Instructional, opinion and advice pieces

About ASBMB Today readers

ASBMB Today serves a diverse membership spanning the full molecular life science enterprise. ASBMB members work across academia, industry, government, education, policy, and science communication, and represent every career stage — from students and trainees to established leaders in the field.

The magazine is written for this broad, scientifically literate community. Articles should be accessible to readers with a strong science background but not assume specialized expertise in a particular subdiscipline.

About our writers

ASBMB Today welcomes article pitches and submissions from ASBMB members across career stages, as well as from others in the molecular life sciences community. Contributors are encouraged to review recent issues to ensure their ideas align with the magazine’s scope and audience before reaching out.

Calls for submissions

Call for essays: Science in industry

Research takes place across many settings, including industry, where teams of scientists pursue fundamental and applied questions that shape medicine, technology and society.

For the summer 2026 ASBMB Today essay series, we invite scientists working in industry to share first-person reflections on their work. These essays will spotlight the science being done in industry and the scientists doing it, offering insight into how research questions are defined, pursued and translated in a range of organizational contexts.

We are interested in essays from scientists across diverse companies and sectors — including biotech, pharma, startups, academic–industry partnerships, spin-off companies and established corporations — and across a wide range of research areas.

Your essay might explore:

The scientific questions your team is focused on and why they matter
How research unfolds in your setting, from experiments and data analysis to computational or collaborative work
How projects are shaped by timelines, team structure, regulatory considerations or translational goals
Cross-functional collaborations and how different forms of expertise come together
What drew you to your current role and what keeps you engaged
How your training in biochemistry or molecular biology informs your work today

We welcome essays that are reflective, concrete and accessible, written for a broad scientific audience. Rather than contrasting industry with other research environments, this series aims to highlight how biochemistry and molecular biology are practiced in industry and what that work looks like day to day.

Essays can be submitted in two formats:

Full essay: about 500 words
Micro-essay: about 250 words

Deadline: April 15

Submit your pitch or completed essay to: asbmbtoday@asbmb.org

Share how you approach discovery, problem-solving and collaboration in your work, and help illuminate the many ways scientists advance biochemistry and molecular biology across the scientific enterprise

Personal essays

Deadline: Open

Essays are flexible in length and nature but are always first-person narratives of interest to a broad readership. Submissions are welcome year-round, and themed calls for submissions are issued regularly. Please include "Essay" in your subject line and a bit about your qualifications in your pitch.

Obituaries

Deadline: Open

ASBMB Today publishes two types of obituaries.

Retrospectives reflect on the lives and scientific achievements of recently deceased researchers. They are often — but not always — invited. They should be about ASBMB members who made significant contributions to the field and/or scientific community. You may submit ideas, pitches and queries for Retrospectives.

In memoriam articles are short (usually fewer than 300 words) obituaries about ASBMB members and assigned by the editor to willing contributors. To be considered for "In Memoriam" contributions, submit a letter with your qualifications with the subject line "In memoriam contributor."

Professional development and career insights

Deadline: Open

Professional development articles (usually between 500 and 1,000 words) address various aspects of careers. Advice columns, lists of tips, personal reflections and opinion pieces are welcome. Include "Professional development" in the subject line of your pitch or submission.

Career insights articles (usually between 500 and 1,000 words) are strictly first-person case studies about careers outside of academia. We welcome submissions and recommendations of authors to invite. Include "Career insights" in the subjec tline of your pitch or submission.

Reader responses

Deadline: Open

Readers responses are short letters and formal responses. Please put "Reader response" in the subject line of your submission.

Guidelines for writers

Know your audience

ASBMB Today is a magazine distributed in print to the members of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and published online without a paywall. This means our online content can be read by anyone with an Internet connection. While ASBMB Today initially was conceived of and published as a newsletter for ASBMB members only, over the past two decades it has become an award-winning, highly competitive source of news, features and perspectives that reaches readers far beyond the biochemistry and molecular biology community.

Choose an effective format

Any story can be told in a number of ways, and we encourage you to consider using untraditional formats to tell yours. For instance, a Q&A or top-10 list format, in some cases, is more effective than a straight news story. You should use lists, subheadings, images, multimedia and boxed nuggets to attract readers and simplify complex information. Also remember that more than a quarter of your readers will read your article on a mobile device. If you don’t hook them in the first few sentences, you’re going to lose them. Choosing the right format can help you with this.

Tell a compelling story

We believe in good storytelling. You should weave descriptive, vivid scenes with factual, informative passages. In other words, aim for more “showing” than “telling.” In addition, quotes bring stories alive. Consider using quotes from sources you have interviewed or from materials you’ve used as part of your research to convey information in interesting and lively ways.

Stay true to your authorial voice

We aim to maintain a professional yet conversational tone. We especially encourage first-person narratives. We discourage stilted, convoluted and passive constructions. If you’re in doubt about something you’ve written, try reading it aloud or enlist a colleague to do so. If it sounds natural, you hit the right note. If it doesn’t sound like your true conversational voice, rewrite it.

Determining authorship

ASBMB Today firmly believes in giving credit where credit is due. Co-writing is allowed, under the following conditions. First authorship is reserved for the writer who contributed the most to the article. All other bylined authors must have contributed significant shares. Those who contribute only feedback or editing can be acknowledged at the end of the article in an author’s note but will not get bylines. We strongly discourage submissions from more than two people and may not accept those by three or more.

How to cite sources

Like most other news magazines, ASBMB Today does not use numbered references at the end of stories. Use hyperlinked in-text attribution to back up claims and provide supplementary sources. And remember: You are allowed to say some things on your own authority.

Final quick tips

Use simple, declarative sentences. Do not use passive or complicated constructions.
Avoid jargon.
Avoid excessive use of acronyms.
Introduce new concepts one at a time and in bite-size nuggets.
Numbers can be numbing. Use them judiciously.
Include visuals that help tell your story.
Use analogies and examples to show rather than tell.
Communicate the relevance to those in other unrelated fields.
Writing for ASBMB Today is a voluntary endeavor. We will repay you with kindness, good humor and reprints upon request.