Biomaterials 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision

Before the paper reaches external reviewers, a Biomaterials handling editor evaluates whether the biomaterials-significance and biomedical relevance warrant Biomaterials's selective editorial slots. About 40 to 50 percent of submissions are desk-rejected at this stage within 1 to 3 weeks. A desk rejection at the language/scope/originality screen most often means the paper needs English language improvements, is out of scope, or presents excessive duplication with published sources. A desk rejection at the editor scope screen most often means the editor concluded that the work lacks biomaterials-significance, biomedical relevance, or would fit better at a sister Elsevier biomaterials journal (Acta Biomaterialia for materials-focused biomaterials, Biomaterials Advances for broader biomedical applications, Materials Today Bio for general biomaterials).

The Biomaterials editorial office confirms files are complete: manuscript with figures embedded, Supporting Information with characterization data (materials characterization plus biology validation: cell viability, in vivo data where applicable), Elsevier template formatting, ARRIVE compliance for animal work, IRB documentation for human-subjects work, cover letter directed to the editor, conflict-of-interest declarations, ethics-statement documentation, and data-availability statement.

Elsevier's technical check screens the submission for language quality, scope fit, and originality via plagiarism check. Submissions that need English language improvements, are out of scope, or present excessive duplication with published sources can be desk rejected before editor review.

The handling editor reads the paper and evaluates biomaterials-significance (does the work matter for biomaterials research), biomedical relevance (does the application context fit a biomedical need), methodological rigor (both materials characterization and biology validation), and Biomaterials subspecialty routing.

In parallel with the handling editor's primary read, ambiguous-fit papers are discussed across the Elsevier biomaterials editorial team where peer handling editors weigh in on whether the paper would fit better at Biomaterials flagship or at sister Elsevier biomaterials journals. This editorial-team discussion runs alongside the desk-screen and adds 3 to 5 days to the timeline that is invisible to the author in the portal.

Biomaterials handling editors typically invite a minimum of 2 reviewers (often more for complex biomedical studies), with reviewer recruitment typically taking 7 to 14 days. The recruitment window can take longer because reviewers with topic-matched biomaterials subspecialty expertise (especially across materials-biology interfaces, in vivo validation, and clinical-translation contexts) are scarce.

Once reviewers agree to review, the typical Biomaterials peer-review cycle lasts 3 to 6 weeks per reviewer. Reviewers are asked to evaluate biomaterials-significance, biomedical relevance, methodological rigor (materials characterization plus biology validation), and reproducibility. Reviewer reports for Biomaterials tend to be thorough; 2000 to 4000 word reports are typical given the materials-biology interface complexity.

After reports return, the handling editor synthesizes them. Total submission-to-acceptance commonly runs 4 to 8 months for successful papers, including revision rounds.

• Rejection within 1 to 7 days: Technical check rejection (language, scope, originality) per Elsevier policy.
• Rejection within 7 to 21 days: Handling editor desk rejection per the 40 to 50 percent figure.
• Still Under Review after 3 weeks: Strong signal. Paper passed the Biomaterials editor filter.
• Still Under Review after 10 weeks: Reviewer-recruitment or reviewer-report delay. A polite inquiry via the Editorial Manager portal is appropriate.
• Status changes to "Decision in Process": Reports are in; expect a decision within 2 to 3 weeks.

This is the most common anxiety we hear from Biomaterials authors during the active editorial window. The honest answer: no, 6 weeks at Under Review puts you in the normal middle of Biomaterials's 4 to 8 week full peer-review distribution. Reports may already be in editorial synthesis with the handling editor preparing the recommendation. Most reviewer-driven delays come from reviewer-recruitment timing for biomaterials subspecialty experts rather than slow reviews because Biomaterials recruits topic-matched reviewers across materials-biology interfaces (which is a scarce reviewer pool). If the portal still says Under Review at the 10-week mark, the most likely explanation is that one of the assigned reviewers asked for an extension and the handling editor granted it. This is normal practice at Biomaterials.

What you should NOT do during the 6-to-10-week window is email the editorial office. Biomaterials handling editors are managing 40+ active papers; an inquiry at 6 weeks adds friction without accelerating the timeline.

If your Biomaterials paper is rejected after review, the natural cascade depends on what the reviewers and editor cited:

Acta Biomaterialia is the natural Elsevier cascade for materials-focused biomaterials papers where the biomaterials priority bar of Biomaterials flagship is not met but the materials rigor is high. Elsevier supports manuscript-transfer with reviewer reports preserved.

Biomaterials Advances is the Elsevier cascade for broader biomedical applications biomaterials papers.

Materials Today Bio is the Elsevier cascade for general biomaterials papers.

Advanced Healthcare Materials is the external Wiley biomedical materials cascade. Wiley uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/ahm; editorial contact ahm@wiley.com.

ACS Applied Bio Materials is the external ACS cascade for biomedical applied materials. ACS uses ACS Paragon Plus at acsparagonplus.acs.org; editorial contact abm@acs.org.

Cell Biomaterials is the external Cell Press cascade for top-tier biomaterials. Cell Press uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/cell-biomaterials; editorial contact cellbiomaterials@cell.com.

Elsevier asks reviewers at Biomaterials to evaluate four things specifically. The table below maps each to actionable preparation.

In our pre-submission work with Biomaterials-targeted manuscripts, three named patterns generate the most consistent reviewer concerns and the most common reasons papers miss the editorial bar or fail the desk screen.

Materials-only framing flagged at handling editor screen. When the work presents materials characterization without biology validation (cell viability, in vivo data where applicable), Biomaterials handling editor desk rejection within 1 to 3 weeks is common. The strongest manuscripts include both materials characterization and biology validation.

Biology validation gaps surface as reviewer concerns. When biology validation is thin (especially missing cell viability dose-response data, absent in vivo biocompatibility studies for implant materials, or incomplete pharmacokinetics for drug delivery), reviewers consistently request expanded biology validation. The strongest revisions add comprehensive biology validation data.

Elsevier biomaterials cascade offers from handling editor. When the handling editor concludes the work is rigorous but the biomaterials priority bar of Biomaterials flagship is not met, transfer offers to Acta Biomaterialia (materials-focused), Biomaterials Advances (broader biomedical), or Materials Today Bio (general biomaterials) are common. Elsevier editors take these transfers seriously.

This page was created from Elsevier's public Biomaterials guide for authors at sciencedirect.com/journal/biomaterials/publish/guide-for-authors, Elsevier Editorial Manager documentation (language/scope/originality technical check, ~40 to 50 percent desk-rejection rate inferred from comparable Elsevier biomaterials journals, minimum 2 reviewers per submission, 4 to 8 week peer-review window), SciRev community-reported transit data on Biomaterials, and Manusights pre-submission review experience with Biomaterials-targeted manuscripts.

For the biomaterials landscape beyond Biomaterials flagship, see Acta Biomaterialia (materials-focused biomaterials), Biomaterials Advances (broader biomedical applications), Materials Today Bio (general biomaterials), Advanced Healthcare Materials (Wiley biomedical functional materials), ACS Applied Bio Materials (ACS biomedical applied materials), and Cell Biomaterials (Cell Press top-tier biomaterials). The choice across these titles depends on whether the central contribution is top-tier biomaterials + biomedical relevance (Biomaterials), materials-focused biomaterials (Acta Biomaterialia), broader biomedical applications (Biomaterials Advances), general biomaterials (Materials Today Bio), Wiley biomedical functional materials (Advanced Healthcare Materials), ACS biomedical applied materials (ACS Applied Bio Materials), or top-tier biomaterials with Cell Press editorial (Cell Biomaterials).

Reviewers at Biomaterials typically draw from one materials specialist and one biology/biomedical specialist (matched to the materials-biology interface). Editors screen and triage manuscripts before any reviewer sees them, and preparing a response template that addresses both materials and biology reviewer perspectives accelerates revision rounds substantially.

For a pre-upload check of your manuscript against the Biomaterials biomaterials-significance-plus-biology-validation bar before submission, our Biomaterials pre-submission diagnostic flags the framing and validation weaknesses most likely to surface in reviewer reports.