Episode 57: Lavanya Visvabharathy - Publishing the science

Scientific journals serve as gatekeepers of knowledge, facilitating the dissemination of groundbreaking research and advancements in Long Covid.

We talked to Lavanya Visvabharathy, a Research Assistant Professor in T cell immunity underlying long COVID syndrome at Northwestern University University, about her journey to try and get work published.

For lesser-known scientists, the path to publication can be an arduous journey filled with challenges and barriers. One of the primary challenges faced by scientists is the intense competition within the scientific community.

As in a lot of other professional fields, well-established scientists can use their reputation and networks to help shape their research, for mentorship opportunities, to open doors for collaborations, and enhance the visibility of their work. They often have an advantage when submitting manuscripts to prestigious journals. This inherent bias can hinder the chances of recognition for talented and capable lesser-known scientists. With limited exposure and fewer opportunities to showcase their work, emerging researchers face an uphill battle to stand out amidst the sea of submissions.

The peer-review process, designed to ensure the quality and validity of published research, can sometimes be marred by bias and subjectivity. Lesser-known scientists may encounter reviewers who unconsciously favour well-known researchers. These biases can result in unfair rejections or unjustified delays, making it even more difficult for emerging scientists to establish themselves within the scientific community. Addressing these biases and ensuring a fair and impartial review process is essential to create a level playing field for all researchers.

Scientific journals receive a vast number of submissions, far exceeding the space available for publication. As a result, rejection rates can be exceptionally high, and the acceptance of manuscripts often depends on several factors, including novelty, impact, and fit with the journal's scope.

As Lavanya says repeated rejections can be disheartening and demotivating, discouraging emerging researchers from persisting in their pursuit of publication. Strategies to increase transparency in the review process, provide constructive feedback, and offer resubmission opportunities can help mitigate the impact of high rejection rates.

The level at which scientists publish has huge implications on funding for their future research. Plus the higher the tier of the journal, the higher the cost to publish. This financial impact on our scientists is influencing not only what is being published, but what is being studied and by whom… which doesn’t seem a very level scientific playing field.

The study we discuss in this episode is published this week in Frontiers In Immunology.

Previous Lavanya Visvabharathy episode

Previous POTS episodes - Tae Chung, Satish Raj