IJMS 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision
If your IJMS submission shows Under Review, here is what each status means, how long each stage typically takes, and when to follow up.
What to do next
Already submitted to International Journal of Molecular Sciences? Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next step.
The useful next step is understanding what the status usually means at International Journal of Molecular Sciences, how long the wait normally runs, and when a follow-up is actually reasonable.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences review timeline: what the data shows
Time to first decision is the most actionable number. What happens after varies by manuscript and reviewer availability.
What shapes the timeline
- Desk decisions are fast. Scope problems surface within days.
- Reviewer availability is the main variable after triage. Specialized topics take longer to assign.
- Revision rounds reset the clock. Major revision typically adds 6-12 weeks per round.
What to do while waiting
- Track status in the submission portal — status changes signal active review.
- Wait at least the journal's stated median before sending a status inquiry.
- Prepare revision materials in parallel if you expect a revise-and-resubmit decision.
_Last reviewed: 2026-05-16._
Quick answer: If your IJMS manuscript shows "Under Review," the most reliable signal is elapsed time, not the status label. International Journal of Molecular Sciences has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 4.9, accepts about 50 percent of submissions, and reports a median first-decision time of approximately 17 days, one of the fastest in molecular biology. If you have been Under Review for more than 1 week, you have likely passed admin and the reviewers are working.
Submission portal and editorial contact: IJMS uses MDPI's submission system at susy.mdpi.com (an Editorial-Manager-style submission portal). Editorial questions go to ijms@mdpi.com, referencing your manuscript ID. Note: MDPI also operates a parallel submission interface that some authors reach via Editorial Manager-style URLs such as editorialmanager.com/ijms in legacy flows; the susy.mdpi.com path is canonical. Technical support is reachable at support@mdpi.com or via the Elsevier support team for cross-publisher transfers at support@elsevier.com.
IJMS desk-rejects roughly 30 to 40 percent of submissions, usually within 5 to 10 days. If your paper is still showing "Under Review" after that window, peer review is in progress.
While you wait
You can't speed up IJMS's review. A IJMS submission readiness check flags mechanism-evidence gaps, control-experiment completeness, and statistical-rigor issues that drive most reviewer requests, in about 5 minutes.
IJMS's review pipeline
Status | What is happening | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
Submitted | Administrative processing | Day 0 to 2 |
With Editor / Editor Assigned | Editor evaluating desk-screen fit | Days 2 to 7 |
Under Review | Reviewers invited or actively reviewing | Days 7 to 21 |
Reviewers Assigned, Awaiting Scores | Reports incoming | 7 to 14 days |
Decision in Process | Editor finalizing decision | 1 to 3 days |
Decision Sent | Reject, R&R, or accept | Check email |
The editorial desk screen (about 30 to 40 percent rejected)
IJMS editors are evaluating molecular-biology contribution, methodology completeness, and scope fit against the journal's broad molecular-sciences mandate. A desk rejection usually means scope mismatch or methodology gaps that would not survive open peer review.
Day 0: MDPI portal upload
The MDPI susy.mdpi.com portal accepts the package and routes to a handling editor matching the molecular-biology subfield.
Days 1 to 7: Editor desk-screen
The handling editor reads the paper, evaluates scope and methodology, and decides whether to invite reviewers.
Days 7 to 14: Reviewer invitations
IJMS typically invites two reviewers with topic-matched expertise; MDPI's reviewer-recruitment process is fast because of its large reviewer pool and standardized 10-day review turnaround.
Days 14 to 21: Peer review
Reviewer reports return on a 1 to 2 week cadence; the 17-day median first-decision time reflects this.
Days 17 to 21: First editorial decision
Major revision or minor revision are the most common outcomes; outright rejection after review is less common at IJMS than at more selective journals.
Days 21 to 45: Revision rounds and acceptance
Single-revision acceptances run roughly 4 to 6 weeks total; multi-round revisions push closer to 8 weeks.
When to worry
- Rejection within 1 to 3 days: Administrative issue (missing files, ethics statement) or immediate scope mismatch.
- Rejection within 5 to 10 days: Desk rejection. Editor concluded the paper does not meet IJMS's methodology bar.
- Still Under Review after 2 weeks: Normal. Reviewers are working on the standard MDPI 10-day turnaround.
- Still Under Review after 6 weeks: Unusual for IJMS. Polite inquiry is appropriate.
- Status changes to "Decision in Process": Reports are in; expect decision within days.
What to do while waiting
- Do not contact the editorial office during the first 4 weeks unless urgent.
- Do not submit the same paper elsewhere while Under Review at IJMS.
- Prepare a point-by-point response template focused on control experiments, statistical methods, and methodological details.
- If you posted a preprint, continue presenting at conferences; IJMS accepts preprinted submissions.
Readiness check
While you wait on International Journal of Molecular Sciences, scan your next manuscript.
The scan takes about 1-2 minutes. Use the result to decide whether to revise before the decision comes back.
How IJMS compares to nearby alternatives for status tracking
Feature | IJMS | Molecules | Cells | Cells (MDPI) Molecules vs JBC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desk rejection rate | 30 to 40 percent | 30 to 40 percent | 30 to 40 percent | varies by venue |
Desk decision speed | 5 to 10 days | 5 to 10 days | 5 to 10 days | varies |
Status granularity | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | varies |
Total review time | 17 days median | 14 to 21 days | 17 days median | varies |
Peer-review model | Single-blind | Single-blind | Single-blind | varies |
Editorial bar | Broad molecular-sciences soundness | Broad chemistry-molecular soundness | Broad cell-biology soundness | varies |
Submit if your paper passed the desk
If your IJMS paper is Under Review and has been for more than 1 week, you have likely cleared the desk screen.
IJMS submission readiness check. It takes about 1-2 minutes.
For a free pre-upload diagnostic on a future IJMS manuscript, use the IJMS manuscript fit check to surface methodology and control-experiment gaps before reviewers do.
Think twice before assuming "Under Review" means safe
IJMS editors retain discretion to reject after partial review. Our IJMS manuscript fit check flags methodology gaps, missing controls, and weak mechanism evidence before reviewers do.
Last verified: IJMS author guidance, MDPI submission portal at susy.mdpi.com, and editorial contact at ijms@mdpi.com.
IJMS review timeline compared to other broad molecular-sciences venues
Timeline stage | IJMS | Molecules | Scientific Reports | PLOS ONE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desk decision | 5 to 10 days | 5 to 10 days | 7 to 14 days | 14 to 28 days |
Desk rejection rate | 30 to 40 percent | 30 to 40 percent | 30 to 40 percent | 30 to 40 percent |
Peer review period | 1 to 2 weeks | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 6 weeks | 6 to 12 weeks |
First decision (total) | 17 days median | 14 to 21 days | 45 days median | 8 to 14 weeks |
Revision period | 14 to 30 days | 14 to 30 days | 30 to 60 days | 60 to 90 days |
Total time to acceptance | 2 to 3 months | 2 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months | 5 to 8 months |
The IJMS reviewer experience
Reviewer focus area | What IJMS asks reviewers to evaluate | How to prepare for it |
|---|---|---|
Methodology completeness | Are methods appropriate and documented? | Include detailed methods with reagent catalog numbers |
Control experiments | Are appropriate controls included? | Include negative and positive controls for each key experiment |
Statistical rigor | Are statistical methods appropriate? | Include sample-size justification and multiple-comparison corrections |
Mechanism vs description | Does the paper establish mechanism or describe observation? | If claiming mechanism, include perturbation experiments |
Reproducibility | Could another lab reproduce this work? | Provide protocols with enough detail for independent replication |
What we have seen while authors wait for IJMS decisions
The waiting is informative: if no decision in 2 weeks, peer review is in progress. The most common timeline question is around the 4-week mark; this is at or near the IJMS median for revision decisions.
In our pre-submission review work with IJMS manuscripts
Three failure patterns generate the most consistent rejections.
Mechanism described but not established. Reviewers distinguish observation from established mechanism. The fix is to include perturbation experiments for mechanism claims.
Control experiments missing or weak. IJMS reviewers carefully verify controls. The fix is to include both negative and positive controls for each key experiment.
Statistical analysis insufficient for the claim. Sample-size justification and multiple-comparison correction are routinely flagged. The fix is to include power calculations and correction methods upfront.
Methodology note: how to use this page safely
This page was created from IJMS's public author guidance, MDPI submission portal documentation, and Manusights review work.
Signal you can trust | Signal to ignore | Best action |
|---|---|---|
Elapsed time since submission | Refreshing the same status daily | Compare your wait with the timeline above |
A decision email or editor inquiry | Forum guesses about one label | Respond to the actual request |
Reviewer comments after decision | Whether the status changed at midnight | Build a point-by-point response plan |
Frequently asked questions
Your manuscript has cleared MDPI admin checks and is being evaluated by external peer reviewers. IJMS uses MDPI's submission system and treats 'Under Review' as the active peer-review period.
IJMS reports a median first-decision time of approximately 17 days, one of the fastest in molecular biology. Most decisions land within 2 to 4 weeks of submission.
Wait at least 4 weeks before inquiring. When you do email ijms@mdpi.com, keep it short and factual, reference the manuscript ID.
Reviewers have been invited or are actively reviewing. MDPI typically invites two reviewers and aims for a 10-day review turnaround.
Yes, though it is slower than the median. Mechanism-heavy molecular-biology papers extend the timeline because reviewers verify experimental design.
Past 6 weeks Under Review is unusual for IJMS. A polite inquiry to ijms@mdpi.com is appropriate. Silence in the first 3 weeks is normal.
Sources
Best next step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
For International Journal of Molecular Sciences, the better next step is guidance on timing, follow-up, and what to do while the manuscript is still in the system. Save the Free Readiness Scan for the next paper you have not submitted yet.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.
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Where to go next
Same journal, next question
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review Time 2026: Time to First Decision and Publication
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences Submission Process
- How to Avoid Desk Rejection at International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2026
- Is International Journal of Molecular Sciences a Good Journal? Fit Verdict
- International Journal Of Molecular Sciences AI Policy: ChatGPT and Generative AI Disclosure Rules for IJMS Authors
- International Journal Of Molecular Sciences Pre Submission Checklist: 12 Items Editors Verify Before Peer Review
Supporting reads
Conversion step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.