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ADVICE ON RESPONDING TO REVIEWERS
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Cover Image credited to Prof. Orly Reiner and Dr. Eyal Karzbrun, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
As presented during the ISN/JSN Joint Symposium titled “Unraveling Cortical Complexity: From Genes to Therapeutic Targets in Neurodevelopmental Disorders” NEURO2024, July 24-27, Fukuoka, Japan
The summer of 2022 changed my life completely. It was the beginning of a new phase in my career, building my new lab. But before that, everything was eclipsed by some great news: I had won the ISN YSLA award! So, I traveled to Honolulu to receive this prestigious award from ISN. Let’s start from the beginning of my story…
I am a biologist, and I did my PhD at the University of Oviedo (Asturias, Spain) under the Neuroscience PhD program. During that time, I learned about the cellular recycling program. This is called autophagy, and it is a very relevant process for health. I fell in love with this mechanism. During that period, I studied the importance of autophagy in aging, particularly in the brain. It wasn’t easy times, as in the beginning of my PhD I had to work in a cafeteria during the weekends. When I got my fellowship, a very close relative suffered an ictus, so taking care of the family was also part of my daily routine. This fact motivated me to do a short stay in the Prof. Lopez-Fernandez lab, as he is an expert in the neurobiology of ischemia.
During the first years of my PhD, autophagy was found as a new mechanism to degrade lipids, a process called lipophagy. This was a very important discovery for the field with many applications. It was an incredible new discipline for me, as I found this process to be very relevant in my studied organ, the Harderian gland. Thus, I sought to do a short stay in the laboratory where lipophagy was discovered, Singh lab at the Albert Einstein college of Medicine, NY.
As a postdoc, I went back to the US. There, we worked on how the brain, specifically the medio basal hypothalamus (MBH), stimulates peripheric lipophagy, a crucial axis to control energy expenditure which can be used as an obesity therapy (Image 2) After a year, I moved along with Singh lab from NY to Newcastle University (UK). There we set up the new branch of Singh lab. But suddenly, Dr. Singh went back to NY, so we had a lab without a PI for a while.
I decided to join the Prof Derek Mann lab, a world-leading lab in liver diseases, where I found a great environment to learn about liver cells and physiology We described a new lipophagy receptor and the relationship between epigenetics, metabolism and liver fibrosis After almost three years, I decided to go back to my country to explore what always captivated my attention…the brain…
2: Brain-to-periphery axis Working model for the brain controlling peripheral lipophagy.
In 2019, I joined the Neuroenergetics and metabolism lab. This lab led by Prof. Juan Bolaños was perfect for learning metabolism in brain cells. I fell in love with the interactions between neurons and astrocytes, which are key to keeping a healthy brain. We focused on the relevance of lipid metabolism in astrocytes, which was the thesis work of our PhD student, recently published There, I could put in practice all my previous knowledge and we established that the brain-to-periphery axis was completely dysfunctional in a neurodegenerative disease called Batten´s disease Furthermore, I finished my training and became a PI
One of the decisive events to establish myself as a lab leader was winning the ISN YSLA award. It was my first plenary talk in an international meeting. I could share my work to a broad audience and get the best feedback possible, as well as plenty of new ideas. I met top researchers in neurochemistry. All of them made me very proud to be part of the ISN community. It opened a very important door, which allowed me to achieve the dream of having my own lab…Today, Macphagy lab (Image 3) is a small but very active lab where we study autophagy and its importance for brain and peripheral organs. Stay tuned for the news that will come from us!
Written by Marina García-Macia, Universidad de Salamanca
Every two years, on the occasion of its Biennial Meeting, ISN awards up to two ISN Young Scientist Lectureship Awards.
The award consists of an honorarium and paid trip to the ISN-ASN 2025 Meeting in New York, USA where the winners will present a 30 minute lecture (including discussion).
Young scientists who received their PhD up to 10 years ago are eligible for the ISN Young Scientist Lectureship Award.
Both the applicant, and the person nominating them, must be active ISN members.
A full curriculum vitae of your nominee
A short description (with references) of the research accomplishments of the candidate
An abstract of the topic to be covered in the talk
A nominating letter from the Head of Department or senior scientist stating why this candidate should be considered for this award.
The deadline for applying has been extended to November 15th, 2024.
The nominations will be reviewed by ISN Conference Committee.
Complimentary registration fees
USD 1.500 for airfare
USD 1.000 for accommodation
An honorarium of USD 1.000
July 24-27, Fukuoka, Japan
ISN was thrilled to be part of NEURO2024 in Fukuoka, where our booth served as a hub for professionals eager to learn about the Society's journal - JNC, our initiatives, resources, and upcoming events.
September 26-29, Suzhou, China
At CNS2024 in Suzhou, ISN emphasized its support for the growing community of neurochemists in China and the broader Asian region, reflecting our goal of expanding neurochemistry education and outreach globally.
October 5-9, Chicago, USA
Our booth at Neurochemistry 2024 in Chicago was a bustling site of exchange and discovery. Attendees connected with ISN and learned about the grant opportunities related to the ISN-ASN 2025 Meeting.
Michael Breakspear is Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle, and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Australia He has served as Editor in Chief of the journal NeuroImage
Michael grew up in Sydney and studied medicine, philosophy and mathematics, undertaking early career research training in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney before moving to the School of Psychiatry at UNSW as a mid-career researcher He formed the Systems Neuroscience Group at UNSW in Sydney in 2004, then moved to QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (in Queensland, Australia) from 2009
In 2019 he relocated to Newcastle, Australia, and established the Systems Neuroscience Group, Newcastle with aspirations to integrate basic methods, bioinformatics and clinical translation with a unique regional Australian character. He has an interest in recovery-focused treatment of mood disorders, psychosis, and addiction and a passion for climate science and surfing
As an editor and author, I have seen many revised papers return to journals. Given effort, most go well (i.e. step toward acceptance). Some go pear-shaped. I’ve slowly improved this process and have an approach known by my group as the ‘Breakspear method” . Here is its essence:
Aim for one round of revisions. Make the first response a big one. Be prepared to do as much work on the revisions as you did for the paper. It might be an overshoot, but it’s way better than going back again, which gets messier each time, or even worse, gets a “revision rejected” response.
Approach the revision as a way of improving the paper, not as a way of placating the editors and reviewers. Despite its caveats, constructive peer review followed by careful revisions almost always makes the paper better: More accurate, clearer and better contextualized.
Share the decision letter with your co-authors and read all the responses carefully. Digest over a few days, reading a few times. Then schedule a meeting with the key co-authors to come up with a strategy for the entire response. Do not get stuck into revisions one by one.
Decide on and prioritize the new work to be done. The key to success on the next round is actually the new work. Editors and reviewers get happy at its sight. Be prepared to put new material into the main text not just in supplementary information. Do the work as thoroughly as the original work.
Treat the reviews as the most careful technical, independent reading you will get. If you think the reviews are off target, don't get mad. Aim to make something good out of every point. If the reviewer is misguided take this as a sign that the text wasn’t sufficiently clear.
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Focus on those critiques common to more than one reviewer and try to integrate your responses to these. Cross-reference between reviewers in the response letter (“see also R2.1”) but also make sure responses to each reviewer are self-complete (don’t let reviewer three think you ran out of steam!)
Pick your push-back carefully. Often there is some work that can't be done, is truly out of scope or is an error by the reviewer. The more overall effort, the more leverage to push-back on a few points. Politely state your actual response and the reason you did not go further.
The response letter should be self-complete. Add a brief summary of the main changes at the top of the document and put this in the cover letter. Use distinct text for each of the reviewers’ comments (R1.1, R1.2 etc), the brief responses, and then the new text and results.
Let the new work speak for itself and keep the rejoinder as brief as possible. There is no use in writing a long response to the reviewer with nothing in the revised ms. No reviewer ever writes a critique because they want a personal response from the authors!
The best type of response is something like; R2.3: The authors made an error etc. Response: The reviewer is correct. We have performed additional analyses and revised the manuscript accordingly (pX), Edits: [new text in revised ms together + any new results and figures]
I tend to quote most of the new text in the response letter and not just point the reviewer to the edited page/line. The goal is to allow the reviewer to read the response letter in full, and have a really good (hopefully positive) impression before they read the revised ms.
Thank the editors and reviewers once at the top of the response letter, not with every response. Reviewers don’t write a critique as a favor but rather to improve the study. The best gratitude you can show is by taking the reviews seriously and revising the paper accordingly.
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Always use impartial language. NEVER get emotive, no matter how mad you feel. Take a deep breath, 'feel the good karma' and make an objective response. Make changes “to improve/correct the manuscript” not to “placate the reviewer” etc. 14
Make sure the paper keeps its narrative and logic. Don’t drop new material in ad hoc just to placate the reviewers. Edit it in seamlessly and then read the paper from start to end. Readers will have limited or no knowledge of the various exchanges of the review process. 15
Make sure you resubmit a manuscript with all the edits clearly marked (say in blue or red text) and a cleaned-up version (depending on journal requirements) plus a cover letter with the main revisions (not the original one) and the response letter.
Good luck!
I hope this helps with your next revisions, and also helps keep your experience of science enjoyable, constructive and educational, as it is (most of the time!) for me.
The highlight of the school was meeting peers around the world who had common research interests As you progress in research, one becomes more specialized, and thus it becomes harder and harder to find likeminded peers in your country The School makes it easier to build a research community for your career, as you get to get ample time to meet and become friends with the other attendees at the school After the school, I continue to have casual conversations with the folks I met at the School, and I always look forward to seeing them at other conferences.
One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to dive into various cutting-edge techniques and research areas, such as advanced microscopy, GPCR characterization, and organoid models, as well as meeting leading experts in the field Additionally, the kayaking activity down the Coura River was both challenging and exhilarating, offering a fantastic and fun way to unwind and connect with fellow attendees, all while enjoying the stunning Portuguese landscape.
The highlight of the School has been the will to interact, share and discuss of everyone, no matters if we were in the auditorium or at the restaurant or on a canoe kayaking. The best atmosphere to enrich scientific and cultural curiosity
The best part were the interactive sessions and the chance to hear from the leading experts in neurochemistry It was particularly uplifting to see such diverse representation, with participants from Africa, Latin America, Australia, Europe and beyond. As someone who often finds themselves as one of the few Black scientists at many conferences, I find it both refreshing and encouraging to experience a truly global and inclusive community of researchers
Beyond the building of a social community, I would recommend the School to any Ph D candidates or postdoctoral fellows The Ph D candidates are given the opportunity to learn a lot in a short amount of time, and make career defining memories However, I think for postdoctoral fellows the School is particularly special - postdoctoral fellows do not often get dedicated time to learn about new advances in a field, so these Schools are a great supplement to broadly learn about recent advances in a field.
I will definitely recommend it both to younger and more experienced peers because it is a safe environment in which you can learn from great international researchers and challenge yourself with engaging interdisciplinary discussions
Yes! It's a fantastic opportunity to network with a select group of inspiring people who are very passionate about their research and work in the same field as you.
I would highly recommend the Advanced School to trainees at any level of their career It offers an exceptional opportunity to learn from experts about innovative neurochemical tools and methodologies and to engage with and be inspired by a new generation of neurochemists For anyone considering applying, I encourage you to do so without hesitation; the experience is both educational and motivating, and it highlights the exciting future of our field
Absolutely, I would recommend this program to anyone in the field It is a fantastic opportunity to directly access top experts and learn about the latest trends and techniques in neurochemistry, along with opportunities to connect with the brightest minds in neurochemistry The experience has broadened my perspective and is already benefiting my current research
I highly recommend the ISN Advanced School to my peers because it offers a unique experience, both personally and professionally It provides the opportunity to interact with researchers at various stages of their careers in an ideal environment for learning, exchanging knowledge, and having fun
Has it made any difference to your work or your career?
I think the impact of the Schools is compounding While it is a memorable experience, and great for making new friends, I feel like the impact of this School will only grow as I get further in my career Simply put, the other attendees of the School could be your future collaborators, conference buddies, or industry connections As the other attendees progress in their careers, and you progress in your own, the friendships you made at the School could benefit you in many unexpected ways over your career
Yes, the insights I gained on advanced imaging techniques and model organisms in neuroscience have significantly impacted my current work as a postdoc in Cambridge. I have started applying these valuable approaches to my research, and they are proving to be highly beneficial On top of that, the connections I have made open up exciting new opportunities for me
Attending the Advanced School has profoundly impacted my research The exposure to state-of-the-art techniques and the insightful discussions with top experts have provided new perspectives and tools that I am integrating into my work on glial cell signaling and neurodegenerative diseases The networking opportunities have also been invaluable for exploring future collaborations and advancing my career in neuroscience
The ISN Advanced School has had a very positive impact on both my work and, most importantly, my career This experience has boosted my energy and inspired me to continue my research in my home country It has also made me more confident in discussing my work in international environments and in applying for new grants and academic opportunities I am extremely grateful and proud to be part of the ISN
The 2025 ISN Advanced School is open to active ISN Student and Postdoc Members.
Apply before November 15 , 2024 for a chance to attend! th
Appointed as the new ISN
Historian in 2021, I explored the ISN Archives for information on those ISN members who had done this job previously. I wanted to learn how my predecessors interpreted their services to ISN and about their ideas and initiatives to keep the memory of ISN´s proud history alive. Quickly I realized that I had large shoes to fill. Before me, ISN had 8 Historians (Figure 1) who collected information and documents, organized sessions at ISN Meetings and wrote articles on the history of ISN. The dedicated work of the ISN Historians allows us to understand how ISN became what it is today.
The history of the ISN Historians started in 1977, 10 years after the foundation of ISN. Jordi Folch-Pi was approached by ISN President Abel Lajtha to write the history of ISN up until that moment. He agreed under the condition that the Council would authorize him to do so. ISN Council accepted this wish and appointed Jordi Folch-Pi as first ISN Historian at the meeting in Copenhagen (1977). Jordi FolchPi kept his promise to write the history of ISN and submitted his manuscript in July 1979. Sadly, he died before his article on the history of ISN was published in the ISN Membership Directory in 1980. Jordi Folch-Pi was succeeded as ISN Historian first by Abel Lajtha, and then by Henry McIlwain. In 1984, ISN Secretary Victor Whittaker
explained in his ISN Business Procedures (the first version of the ISN Standing Rules) the position of the ISN Historian: „The Historian: This is something of an honorific office which was created for J. Folch-Pi on his retirement in 1978. Consideration might be given to allocating archivist duties to the Historian and perhaps renaming the office. The historian is asked periodically to review, amplify and update the historical account of the Society in the Membership Directory“. The next version of Business Procedures two years later contained the additional statement that „The Historian has taken charge of the Societies´ Archives“. Thus, in 1986 the ISN Historian had also become the ISN Archivist.
Joining the functions of Historian and Archivist meant for the ISN Historians to collect all the significant ISN documents that had so far not been centrally stored in an archive. Henry McIlwain started this important task and several of his appeals for contributions for the ISN Collection were published in the ISN Newsletters to obtain the missing minutes, membership directories, newsletters, Meeting program books, pictures, correspondence, JNC issues and other documents of the early years of ISN.
The initial collection was stored in 50 gray boxes of archive quality lined cardboard. All Historians continued the collection of important ISN documents for the ISN Archives and kept on using these original grey boxes up to 2021 when I started to reorganize the Archive. Now the paper documents are stored in 40 new and bigger (but still gray) archive boxes.
History sessions were frequently held at ISN Biennial Meetings to inform the attending ISN
Nottingham, ‘81
Round Table: History of Neurochemistry (H McIIwain)
Cancun, ‘13
Symposium: History of Neurochemistry (F Fonnum)
Vancouver, ‘83
Colloquium: History of Neurochemistry (H McIIwain)
Cairns, ‘15
Symposium: History of Neurochemistry (F Fonnum, G Johnston, P Beart)
(G
members about defined aspects of the history of ISN or the history of neurochemistry (Figure 2)
ISN Historians were always involved in such events as speakers and/or organizers. For the period between 1999 and 2009 the ISN Biennial Meetings unfortunately did not offer any history sessions. Gerald Curzon had proposed such a session for the 1999 meeting, but his proposal failed. Some of the comments made to justify this decision were „as science grows much faster than history, a historical session every 10 years would be sufficient“ and „historical sessions… never attract as much as science“. This decision terminated initiatives to run history events at ISN Meetings for more than a decade. Gladly, Frode Fonnum proposed to have a history symposium for the Athens Meeting in 2011 and that was the start of a new continuous series of ISN history events that is still running. For the most recent ISN Biennial Meetings it was Phil Beart who organized with great enthusiasm highly successful history sessions (Figure 2).
Riva del Garda, ‘85
Round Table: History of Transmitters: Personal Experiences (H McIIwain)
Boston, ‘97
Workshop: Neurobiology of Consciousness: Past, Present and Future (G Curzon)
Albufeira, ‘89
History of Neurochemistry: Contributions to early neurochemical development by drugs and medicaments, 1850s-1950s (H McIIwain, G Curzon)
Kyoto, ‘95
Workshop: The History of Neurochemistry (G Curzon)
Paris, ‘17
P
Montreal, ‘19
Symposium: History of Neurochemistry (P Beart)
Honolulu, ‘22
Symposium: History of Neurochemistry (P Beart)
Sydney, ‘91
Colloquium: Influences on the Development of Neurochemistry (A Lajtha, H McIIwain, G Curzon)
Montpellier, ‘93
Colloquium: Approaches to the History of Neurochemistry: A Memorial to Henry McIIwain & Paul Mandel (G Curzon, H Bachelard)
Porto, ‘23
Symposium: History of Neurochemistry (P. Beart)
Writing articles on ISN´s history was another frequent task of ISN Historians (Figure 3). While compiling the list of published articles on the history of ISN, I realized that I should also consider to write such an article in the future. My short articles in the series „From the Archives“ in ISN News may be a good inspiration to get started.
In the beginning - To celebrate 20 years of the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN). J. Neurochem. 45, 1-10.
Folch-Pi J. A Brief History of the Society. ISN Membership Directory
25 Years of The International Society for Neurochemistry. J. Neurochem. 61, S287-S307
The History of Neurochemistry as revealed by the Journal of Neurochemstry. J. Neurochem. 61, 780-786.
Johnston G., Beart P., et.al.
The origin and early history of neurochemistry and its societies. J. Neurochem. 152, 8-28.
Figure 3: Articles on ISN’s History written by ISN Historians The articles are accessible via the ISN webpage (About us - History)
In the early decades, the Historians submitted written reports to ISN Council. These reports are available in the Archives, mainly in the minutes of the Council meetings. These documents also frequently contain requests made by the Historians to get all the pertinent important ISN documents sent for storage in the Archive from the ISN Officers. Council actually decided several times that this should be done, demonstrating that the continuous supply of documents for storage in the Archives remained to be a problem. I know from personal experience that ISN Officers have to deal with heaps of urgent matters on a daily basis. Thus, they have little time for considering what could be of interest to be stored in the Archives for future generations or which information or documents could be missed in future years. Considering this issue I am realizing now that there is an unwritten hidden part in the job description of the ISN Historian stating that the person holding this position has to regularly annoy the ISN Officers (and more recently the ISN Secretariat) in order to fullfill the main duty of the ISN Archivist, i.e., to get all the significant ISN documents for storage in the ISN Archives. To be efficient in doing so, the ISN Historian should be aware of previous, recent and new developments in ISN in order to know which documents to ask for. This was archieved by inviting the ISN Historian in 2005 to serve on ISN Council as appointed Council member with full voting rights. Since 2007, ISN Historians regularly attend ISN Council meetings and present their reports in person to Council and to the ISN membership in the annual General Business Meetings.
As ISN became more professional in the recent decade, also the work load for the ISN Historian increased and the job became more demanding. The duties now included the organization of history events, writing articles on the history of ISN, keeping the records, organizing the Archives, establishing a digital Archive, hunting for missing material for the Archives, serving in Council, advising the officers on historical matters etc.. In 2021, ISN considered to distribute some of these duties to more shoulders by establishing the ISN History Committee that is chaired by the ISN Historian. It is now the aim of this committee to promote interest in the history of ISN and neurochemistry (and related topics), to keep the living memory on these, to contribute to obituaries, advise the ISN Publication Committee on history matters, and to help maintain knowledge by transferring lived experience into the ISN Archives. The first initiative of the ISN History Committee was the organization of an ISN History Booth for the Porto Meeting in 2023. Throughout the Meeting, posters and PowerPoint stories were presented at the booth and documents from the ISN Archive were on display. We are planning to continue this successful initiative at the New York Meeting in 2025.
The functions of the ISN Historian have been revised with the establishment of the ISN History Committee. The three primary functions of the ISN Historian are now being defined as 1) Chair of the History Committee, 2) Adviser for ISN Officers and Council on previous ISN decisions, experiences and discussions, and 3) ISN Archivist to manage the ISN Archives.
At the end of this short story you may realize that the job of the ISN Historian is not a sprint that can be finished in reasonable time but rather a never-ending marathon.
Written by Ralf Dringen ISN Historian and Archivist
The program was very interesting and
interactive, with the first half dedicated to lectures by experienced researchers focusing on the contributions of genetoxicants to some neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and autism spectrum disorders. I gained insights into using the C. elegans model to unravel the implications of gene-toxicants (heavy metals) to brain diseases such as the study interplay between manganese and genes mutations in Parkinson's disease from Profs Micheal Aschner, Felix Antunes Soares, Julia Bornhost, and Monica Bastos Likewise, I got a good exposure to the use of C elegans as a model for research on the gut-brain axis from Prof Alexandra Benedetto
IamNGOUNGOURENDAM Viviane Laure, a Postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Free State in South Africa. I was selected to attend the ISN Neuroscience School hosted by the Laboratory of Experimental and Translational Neurobiology (LETNeu), University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, Nigeria, organized by Dr Omamuyovwi Ijomone from 11-17 August 2024 The school theme ʺGeneenvironment interactions in neurological disorders: a contemporary updateʺ was of special relevance to my career objectives as a researcher, and I was passionate about gaining more knowledge about the implications of genes and environment in neurological disorders which could be key to identifying disease biomarkers and new drug targets Thanks to ISN I was able to travel from South Africa to Nigeria to attend the school
Furthermore, I gained more knowledge on assessing the rescue roles of natural products on toxicantsinduced models of AD and PD in Drosophila melanogaster, another model to study neurotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and neuroprotection from Prof. Abolaji Amos A unique aspect of this school was how the faculty members shared with us their insights and experiences concerning ethics in research, writing /publishing a good paper, and how to overcome the challenges in a research career and for grantsmanships. The program also focused on practical and hands-on training, where I gained some skills in rodent brain dissections and immunohistochemistry. The session also included a demonstration of common behavioral tests for cognitive, motor, and anxiety-like behavior. For the session on basics in utilizing the C. elegans model, it was an enriching experience, learning how to synchronize them for the neurodegeneration or neurotoxicity study. Additionally, we learned how to leverage the transparent body of the C. elegans for in vivo fluorescent imaging. Overall, the program lasted for 4 days, with intensive lectures, practical sessions, student presentations, and social activities.
Attending this school was an eye-opener for me toward research and my career as a neuroscientist. I shared ideas with experts and built connections and interaction networks with other researchers for future collaborations. I am eager to apply these insights to my research project, to learn more about C. elegans model by visiting the laboratory of Dr Ijomone where I can gain more training on C elegans as an alternative experimental model to study neurodegeneration and neurotoxicology, and possibly starting using this model in my laboratory in Cameroon. Maybe in the future, I could organize the same school in my country Cameroon with the help of ISN. I am grateful to everyone who made this school possible and successful. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), all the faculty members, the organizer (Dr Ijomone), and the Local organizer committee.
Viviane Laure NGOUNGOURE NDAM is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of the Free State, South Africa. She holds a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology from the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon. Her research interests include Neuropharmacology, neurodegenerative diseases, neurotoxicity and neuroprotection.
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