About APCR

What We Publish

APCR welcomes original research articles, brief reports, systematic and scoping reviews, meta-analyses, case reports with notable diagnostic insights, technical notes, method validations, quality improvement studies, image essays with educational value, commentaries, letters to the editor, and perspectives on policy or ethics in pathology. We value studies that demonstrate methodological rigor—appropriate controls, validated assays, reproducible analytical pipelines, and transparent data availability.

Clinical and Translational Reach

• Anatomic Pathology: tumor histomorphology, digital/AI-assisted pathology, subspecialty organ systems.
• Clinical Pathology/Lab Medicine: hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical chemistry, transfusion medicine, quality management.
• Molecular Diagnostics: NGS panels, minimal residual disease assays, bioinformatics, variant interpretation frameworks.
• Precision Medicine & Trials: biomarker qualification, companion diagnostics, lab developed tests, trial correlative studies.
• Education & Workforce: competency-based training, quality indicators, digital pathology implementation.

Scope note: A detailed “Aims & Scope” entry is provided separately in the navigation; the above is a concise overview for readers landing on this About page. Editorial Standards & Peer Review

APCR operates a double-blind peer review process: identities of authors and reviewers are not disclosed during evaluation. Authors should upload a Title Page (author details) and a Blinded Manuscript as separate files to preserve anonymity.

Reviewer Criteria

Manuscripts are assessed for originality, clinical relevance, methodological soundness, clarity of reporting, and ethical compliance (IRB/IEC approvals, consent for identifiable images, animal welfare). Where applicable, we encourage adherence to domain reporting standards (e.g., REMARK for tumor markers, STARD for diagnostic accuracy, PRISMA for systematic reviews). 

Editorial Board & Leadership

APCR’s board includes senior academics and clinicians with expertise spanning diagnostic subspecialties. Public pages list Editor-in-Chief names and selected editors. 

Open Access Model & Copyright

APCR publishes all content in open access. Articles are made immediately and permanently available online. The journal does not levy submission fees; Article Processing Charges (APCs) apply only after acceptance. The APC page for APCR confirms no submission charges and notes that an article processing fee is charged upon acceptance to cover editorial and production services. Specific currency amounts are not listed on the current APC page. 

License: Unless otherwise stated, APCR intends to publish under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license to maximize reuse with attribution. If licensing on a given article differs (e.g., CC BY-NC), the PDF and HTML will specify the applicable rights. 

Research Integrity & Ethics

APCR upholds internationally recognized guidance for publication ethics. Editors and reviewers are expected to follow COPE principles for handling suspected misconduct, conflicts of interest, authorship disputes, and corrections/retractions. Authors must disclose ethical approvals for studies involving humans or animals and obtain consent where images or clinical details could identify individuals. 

• Authorship and contributorship should reflect material contributions; use of contributor roles (CRediT taxonomy) is encouraged. 
• Data availability statements should indicate where datasets, code, and materials can be accessed; controlled-access repositories are acceptable for sensitive data. 
• Plagiarism checks are performed (iThenticate is referenced on site assets); text recycling is assessed contextually. 
• Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions follow best-practice taxonomies with permanent article‐level notices and DOIs. 

Quality, Timelines & Author Experience

We strive to provide prompt, constructive decisions without compromising rigor. Editorial triage targets suitability and ethical compliance, followed by masked peer review. Reviews focus on clinical applicability, reproducibility, and clarity. Where major revisions are requested, editors provide structured guidance to help authors succeed. The journal’s pages emphasize a “friendly and hassle-free publication process,” short production times after acceptance, and regular feedback.

Article Types & Typical Decisions