- Scope
- ISSN 2471-2175
- Open access · CC BY 4.0
Aims and Scope of the Journal of Dermatologic Research and Therapy
JDRT publishes research on the skin and its diseases across all of dermatology: laboratory, translational and clinical research, therapy, dermatopathology, skin infections and pediatric dermatology.
What the journal sets out to do
JDRT aims to publish methodologically sound research that connects the biology of the skin with the care of patients. It covers the structure and function of the skin, the mechanisms of skin disease, and the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease in patients of every age, in every region of the world.
Basic, clinical, applied, experimental and translational studies are all welcome, as are evidence syntheses, new methods, datasets, and well-documented clinical observations such as case reports and clinical images. The journal publishes work that is relevant to dermatology and judged sound and scientifically rigorous.
The journal also welcomes research from neighboring fields, including immunology, genetics, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology and biomedical engineering, when it addresses a question about the skin.
The skin, layer by layer
Dermatology is read in cross-section. The topics below follow the structure of the skin from the surface to the clinic and are illustrative: the journal considers any well-conducted research that bears on the skin and its diseases.
Surface
Barrier and microbiome
Skin barrier function and repair, epidermal lipids, the skin microbiome and its interaction with the host, sun exposure and photoprotection, and the biology of cosmetic and topical products.
Epidermis
Keratinocytes, melanocytes and skin cancer
Keratinocyte differentiation, pigmentation and melanocyte biology, photobiology, and the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.
Dermal-epidermal junction
Autoimmune and blistering disease
Pemphigoid, pemphigus, lupus, dermatomyositis and other autoimmune and autoinflammatory skin disease, and genetic disorders of adhesion and the basement membrane.
Dermis
Inflammation, vessels and repair
Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and other inflammatory dermatoses, cutaneous vascular biology and vascular lesions, wound healing, fibrosis, scarring and aging of the dermis.
Adnexa
Hair, nails and glands
Hair follicle biology and hair disorders, nail disease, and the sebaceous and sweat glands, including acne and hidradenitis suppurativa.
Subcutis and beyond
Infection, drug reactions and systemic disease
Bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic skin infections, cutaneous drug reactions, skin signs of systemic disease, and genetic skin disease.
Clinic
Diagnosis, dermatopathology and therapy
Clinical and dermoscopic diagnosis, dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, pharmacologic and procedural therapy, and evidence-based cosmetic dermatology, with studies of outcomes, safety and quality of care.
What the journal publishes
One list of ten article types applies across the journal.
- Original Research
- Laboratory, translational and clinical studies, including trials, cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, qualitative and quality-improvement designs.
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Systematic syntheses of evidence on a defined dermatologic question, with or without meta-analysis, including scoping reviews that use systematic methods.
- Review
- Narrative or educational reviews of a topic in dermatology, including historical and mini-reviews, written by authors with expertise in the field.
- Methods and Protocols
- New or validated experimental, imaging, analytical or clinical-assessment methods, and protocols for planned studies.
- Short Communication
- A concise report of a focused or preliminary finding.
- Data Note
- A description of a dataset of value to dermatologic research, to support its reuse.
- Case Report
- An individual case or short case series with a lesson for diagnosis, mechanism or treatment.
- Clinical Image
- An instructive clinical, dermoscopic or histopathologic image with a brief legend.
- Commentary
- An evidence-based argument on a current issue in dermatology or on published research. Perspectives and viewpoints are submitted as Commentaries.
- Letter
- A brief response to an article published in JDRT, or a short observation of relevance to dermatology.
Requirements for each type are in the Instructions for Authors. Where a manuscript sits between types, the editors confirm the classification.
What editors look for
Case reports, commentaries and descriptive studies are considered when they are relevant to dermatology and add to the evidence base; the editors set aside only unsupported opinion. Work is assessed for scope, scientific quality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, reporting quality, and relevance to the journal.
Manuscripts follow the reporting guideline for their design (for example CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, STARD, CARE, ARRIVE, REMARK or MIQE), report ethics approval and consent where applicable, and include a data-availability statement for empirical research. Interventional clinical trials must be registered in an accepted public trial registry at or before the first participant provides consent for enrollment. The registry name, registration number, and registration date must be reported in the manuscript.
Is your work a fit?
Read the Instructions for Authors and the Editorial Policies, or write to the editorial office at info@openaccesspub.org.