Journal Guide
Publishing in Blood: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide
ASH's flagship hematology journal: covering the full spectrum from basic hematology to clinical blood disorders
Should you submit here?
Submit if blood wants papers that span from mechanism to clinical relevance. Be careful if if your paper uses blood cells to study generic cell biology questions without specific relevance to blood disorders, Blood isn't the right venue.
23.1
Impact Factor (2024)
~20%
Acceptance Rate
~30 days
Time to First Decision
Submission guide
Blood Submission Guide: How to Get Published in ASH's Flagship
How to submit to Blood: ASH requirements, manuscript preparation, and the editorial signals that matter most for hematology papers.
Journal assessment
Is Blood a Good Journal? Impact Factor, Scope, and Submission Guide
Blood (IF 23.1) is hematology's flagship journal with $0 APC. This guide covers its community model, editorial pathways for thrombosis through malignancy, and how it compares to Nature Medicine, Leukemia, and Haematologica.
Desk rejection
How to Avoid Desk Rejection at Blood
How to avoid desk rejection at Blood: what editors screen first on hematology fit, mechanistic depth, and clinical relevance.
What Blood Publishes
Blood is the American Society of Hematology's flagship journal and THE hematology journal globally. It publishes research spanning the complete spectrum from molecular hematology to clinical blood disorders, with particular strength in both bench science and bedside applications.
- Basic hematology research: stem cells, blood development, hematopoiesis
- Clinical hematology: leukemias, lymphomas, anemias, bleeding disorders
- Translational blood research bridging basic science and clinical application
- Immunohematology and blood banking with clinical relevance
- Hematologic malignancy research including novel therapeutics
- Thrombosis and hemostasis research with mechanistic and clinical components
Editor Insight
“Blood succeeds because we serve the entire hematology community, from the basic scientist studying stem cell differentiation to the clinician treating acute leukemia. The best Blood papers advance both understanding and treatment of blood disorders. We want research that will be discussed in both lab meetings and tumor boards.”
What Blood Editors Look For
Complete hematological stories
Blood wants papers that span from mechanism to clinical relevance. Pure basic science without clear connection to blood disorders faces tough odds. Pure clinical reports without mechanistic insight also struggle.
Novel insights into blood cell biology
How do blood cells develop, function, and malfunction? Research that advances fundamental understanding of hematopoiesis, blood cell differentiation, or blood disorder pathogenesis performs well.
Translational relevance to hematologic disease
Even basic research should have clear implications for understanding or treating blood disorders. The pathway from discovery to potential clinical application should be evident.
Rigorous methodology across bench and bedside
Whether you're doing single-cell RNA-seq or clinical trials, the methodology must be state-of-the-art. Blood reviews rigorously at both the technical and conceptual levels.
Integration of multiple approaches
Papers that combine in vitro, in vivo, and human studies perform exceptionally well. Blood values research that validates findings across multiple experimental systems.
Clinical significance for hematologists
For clinical papers, the findings should matter to practicing hematologists. Novel biomarkers, treatment responses, or disease mechanisms that change how blood disorders are managed.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Blood's editorial review:
Pure basic biology using blood cells without hematologic relevance
If your paper uses blood cells to study generic cell biology questions without specific relevance to blood disorders, Blood isn't the right venue. Focus on hematologic-specific insights.
Clinical case series without mechanistic insights
Blood wants more than descriptive clinical reports. Even clinical papers need to advance understanding of disease mechanisms or provide insights that change practice.
Mouse-only studies without human validation
Blood increasingly expects human relevance. Mouse studies are fine as part of a complete story, but human blood samples or clinical correlations strengthen submissions dramatically.
Narrow subspecialty focus without broader hematologic relevance
Ultra-specialized research in one rare blood disorder may belong in subspecialty journals. Blood serves the entire hematology community, not just narrow specialists.
Inadequate validation of novel findings
Single experiments or small patient cohorts don't establish new principles in hematology. Blood expects strong validation across multiple systems and approaches.
Poor integration with existing hematology literature
Hematology has deep literature. Failing to position your work within existing knowledge or missing key references suggests insufficient field knowledge.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Blood's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from Blood Authors
ASH meeting timing amplifies impact
Blood papers often get highlighted at ASH annual meetings, which significantly boosts visibility. Timing submissions around ASH abstract deadlines can be strategically valuable.
The basic-clinical spectrum is real strength
Unlike journals that focus exclusively on basic or clinical research, Blood genuinely values the full spectrum. Papers that bridge bench and bedside perform exceptionally well.
Stem cell and hematopoiesis research is core territory
Blood has a particular strength in hematopoietic stem cell research and blood development. If your work advances understanding of how blood cells are made or maintained, Blood is often the best venue.
Leukemia and lymphoma research gets prioritized
Hematologic malignancy research constitutes a large fraction of Blood's content. Well-designed studies in leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma typically receive favorable review.
The ASH reviewer pool is unmatched
Blood draws reviewers from ASH's membership, giving access to the world's top hematologists. This means expert review but also high standards. Come prepared.
Thrombosis research has a dedicated home
Blood publishes extensively in thrombosis and hemostasis research. If your work advances understanding of bleeding or clotting disorders, this is often the premier venue.
Resource papers and databases are welcomed
Large-scale genomics studies, patient databases, and community resources in hematology find a home at Blood as Resource papers. These often become highly cited community standards.
Blood banking and transfusion medicine have dedicated space
Clinical research in blood banking, transfusion medicine, and immunohematology gets serious consideration, especially if it advances patient care or safety.
The Blood Submission Process
Direct submission
Editorial assignment within daysSubmit complete manuscript with clear emphasis on hematologic significance and translational relevance. Include detailed methods and human relevance.
Editorial triage
1-2 weeksASH editor-in-chief and associate editors assess hematologic significance and technical quality. About 65% desk rejection rate.
Expert hematology review
3-4 weeks2-3 reviewers from ASH membership with specific expertise in relevant hematology subspecialties. Focus on both technical rigor and hematologic significance.
Statistical and methodological review
Concurrent with peer reviewDedicated review of experimental design and statistical analysis. Particular attention to clinical trial methodology and basic research controls.
Revision and decision
~30 days to first decisionMost papers require revision. Blood provides detailed feedback aimed at strengthening both scientific rigor and hematologic relevance.
Blood by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor(Clarivate JCR; highest in hematology) | 21.0 |
| Submissions per year | ~4,500 |
| Acceptance rate | ~20% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~65% |
| Time to first decision | ~30 days |
| ASH membership | 18,000+ hematologists globally |
| Biweekly publication | 24 issues/year |
| Citation half-life | 8+ years |
Before you submit
Blood accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full AI Diagnostic for $29. If you need deeper scientific feedback, choose Expert Review. The full report is calibrated to Blood.
Article Types
Regular Articles
4,000 wordsFull research reports in all areas of hematology
Brief Reports
2,000 wordsFocused findings of significant interest
Clinical Trials
4,000 wordsReports of clinical trials in hematologic diseases
Reviews
6,000 wordsIn-depth reviews of hematologic topics
Perspectives
2,500 wordsForward-looking commentary (usually invited)
Landmark Blood Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Philadelphia chromosome discovery and CML pathogenesis (1970s-1980s, foundational)
- Development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia prognostic systems (1990s-2000s)
- Characterization of acute myeloid leukemia genetic subtypes (2000s-2010s)
- CAR-T cell therapy development for hematologic malignancies (2010s-2020s)
- Single-cell atlases of normal and malignant hematopoiesis (2020s)
Preparing a Blood Submission?
Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Blood and know exactly what editors look for.
Run Free Readiness ScanNeed expert depth? See Expert Review Options
Primary Fields
Browse by Field
Related Journal Guides
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Latest Journal-Specific Guides
- Submission guideBlood Submission Guide: How to Get Published in ASH's FlagshipHow to submit to Blood: ASH requirements, manuscript preparation, and the editorial signals that matter most for hematology papers.
- Journal assessmentIs Blood a Good Journal? Impact Factor, Scope, and Submission GuideBlood (IF 23.1) is hematology's flagship journal with $0 APC. This guide covers its community model, editorial pathways for thrombosis through malignancy, and how it compares to Nature Medicine, Leukemia, and Haematologica.
- Desk rejectionHow to Avoid Desk Rejection at BloodHow to avoid desk rejection at Blood: what editors screen first on hematology fit, mechanistic depth, and clinical relevance.
- Review timelineBlood Review Time: What to Expect From Submission to DecisionBlood takes 1-3 weeks for desk decisions and 6-10 weeks to first decision after review. ASH flagship process and what each stage means.
More Guides for This Journal
- Acceptance rateBlood Acceptance Rate 2026: How Selective Is the ASH Flagship?Blood accepts roughly 15-20% of submissions. What the ASH flagship selects for and how the selectivity breaks down by paper type.
- Impact factorBlood Impact Factor 2026: 19.4, Q1, and What It Means for Hematology AuthorsBlood impact factor is 19.4 (2024 JCR). Five-year JIF 18.1. Q1 in hematology. See trend, comparisons, and what it means.
- Publishing costsBlood APC and Open Access: Page Charges, OA Fees, and Why Every Author Pays SomethingBlood charges $5,850 for open access and $85/page for ALL articles. Brief Reports cost $2,925. Full cost breakdown, waivers, and comparisons.
- Submission processBlood Submission Process: What Happens From Upload to First DecisionBlood submission process guide covering editorial triage, reviewer assignment, first-decision timing, and common causes of delay.
- Manuscript prepBlood Cover Letter: What Editors Actually Need to SeeBlood editors are screening for real hematology consequence, not just technically solid blood research. A strong cover letter makes that field-level case obvious fast.
- Publishing guideBlood SJR and Scopus Metrics: What They Actually MeanBlood still has flagship hematology metrics, but the real submission question is whether your paper has enough breadth for a field-wide audience.
Ready to submit to Blood?
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Avoid Desk Rejection
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Manuscript Rejected?
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Reviewer Response Help
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Reference library
Compare Blood with the broader publishing context
This journal guide is the best starting point for Blood. The reference library covers the surrounding questions authors usually ask next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how neighboring journals compare, and what the submission constraints look like across the field.
Checklist system / operational asset
Elite Submission Checklist
A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.
Flagship report / decision support
Desk Rejection Report
A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.
Dataset / reference hub
Journal Intelligence Dataset
A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
Need field-expert depth? See Expert Review Options