These guidelines are intended to make submission to The Functionologist Journal as simple and predictable as possible, while maintaining a consistent format that is useful for clinicians, researchers, and scientifically literate readers. The journal is practice-focused and translation-aware—prioritising physiology-led reasoning, measurable outcomes, and claims discipline.
Please read this page before preparing a manuscript. A downloadable article template—Word .docx—will be provided so that you can type directly into the suggested structure.
1. Article types
The journal is practice-focused. The following broad article types are currently welcomed:
Framework papers—definitions, scope boundaries, conceptual models, and terminology aligned with Functionology.
Clinical and translational reviews—practical summaries of mechanisms and clinical translation boundaries—for example, PBM dosing logic, infusion monitoring, regenerative claims discipline.
Protocols and practice standards—governance-ready protocols suitable for audit—selection criteria, contraindications, monitoring, escalation thresholds, documentation standards.
Case reports and case series—de-identified cases with clear learning points, limitations, and measurable endpoints.
Methods, measurement, and tools—checklists, templates, scoring instruments, reporting standards, parameter tables, documentation structures.
Implementation and systems articles—measurement infrastructure, EHR workflow design, audit logic, continuity-of-care structures, risk governance.
Short commentaries—brief, experience-based pieces on specific problems in Functionology, written with explicit limitations and balanced claims.
2. Manuscript format
Please prepare manuscripts in a simple, consistent format. The journal will handle layout and final styling.
File format—Microsoft Word .docx. Mac Pages and LibreOffice users may export to .docx.
Font—12-point Times New Roman.
Spacing—double-spaced throughout, including references.
Alignment—left-aligned text—no full justification necessary.
Titles—use Title Case—example: Photobiomodulation in Functionology: Mechanisms and Reporting Standards.
Headings—Title Case for major section headings.
Subheadings—sentence case.
Numbers and units—use SI units where possible; be consistent.
Acronyms—define at first use.
Parameter-dependent modalities—PBM, device therapy, dosing protocols—must include explicit parameter reporting—see Section 3 and Section 5.
A Word template is available and strongly recommended. It contains the structure below and example text to guide layout and referencing.
Template—Download the article template—Word .docx—from the link provided in this section once uploaded to the site.
3. Article structure
Not all articles will fit the same pattern, but most clinical and case-based submissions should follow this structure:
Title—concise, in Title Case.
Author information—names, qualifications, and roles—plus corresponding author contact.
Abstract—up to 250 words. Structured where possible: Background; Case/Methods; Findings; Conclusions / Key message.
Keywords—3–6 keywords—example: functionology; photobiomodulation; mitochondrial function; micronutrient infusions; outcomes measurement.
Main text—suggested sections:
Introduction
Clinical context or Methods
Assessment and decision-making framework
Intervention or protocol—if applicable
Monitoring and follow-up
Discussion—relevant literature, limitations, translation boundaries
Learning points / Practical implications
Evidence tier statement—required—see Section 4
Tables and figures—placed near where first mentioned, with clear legends and explanation of all abbreviations.
References—numbered Vancouver-style list at the end.
Declarations—conflicts of interest, funding, consent/ethics if applicable.
For protocol papers, include these additional elements where applicable:
Indications and contraindications
Patient selection and risk stratification
Monitoring and safety thresholds
Dosing, parameters, or workflow steps
Escalation criteria and stop rules
Documentation standard suitable for audit
Outcome measures—clinical and functional endpoints
4. Evidence tiers and claims discipline—required
The journal uses explicit evidence tiering to prevent overclaiming and to make uncertainty visible. Each manuscript must include an Evidence Tier statement for its primary claims.
Authors must:
Separate established evidence from hypothesis-level concepts.
Use proportionate language—strong claims require strong evidence.
Clearly label investigational, off-label, emerging, or non-standard practices.
State key limitations and what evidence would change the conclusion.
Avoid promotional language and avoid implying guaranteed outcomes.
5. Modality-specific reporting requirements
Because Functionology includes parameter- and dosing-dependent interventions, submissions must provide reproducible reporting details where relevant.
Photobiomodulation—PBM reporting minimums—where applicable:
Wavelength
Irradiance or power density at target
Energy density—fluence
Spot size and distance from tissue
Treatment duration per site and total energy delivered
Pulse structure—CW or pulsed—frequency and duty cycle
Session frequency and total course
Target tissue and technique description
Adverse effects monitoring and safety boundaries
Infusion medicine and micronutrient protocols—minimums—where applicable:
Formulation categories—amino acids, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, etc.
Dose ranges and infusion rates
Indications and contraindications
Monitoring—vital signs, labs if used, adverse event triggers
Safety thresholds and stop rules
Documentation standard suitable for audit
Regenerative and exosome-related content—minimums—where applicable:
Clear labeling of evidence tier and investigational status
Governance framing—regulatory and ethics-aware positioning
Outcome measures and follow-up duration
Risk and limitations statement
Device-based or procedural interventions—minimums—where applicable:
Device type and relevant settings
Technique and reproducibility description
Complication surveillance and escalation thresholds
6. Confidentiality and de-identification
The journal will not publish identifiable patient, clinic, hospital, company, or brand details. Authors are responsible for thorough de-identification before submission.
Do not include names, dates of birth, patient identifiers, medical record numbers, or unique identifying details.
Do not include clinic names, hospital names, companies, or brands in a way that identifies an individual case or organisation unless essential and permission is clear.
Adjust ages, timelines, and location detail as needed to reduce identifiability while preserving the learning points and measurable outcomes.
Remove identifying information from images and scans—faces, labels, barcodes, serial numbers, timestamps, and embedded metadata.
Where appropriate, confirm that consent for publication has been considered—even when cases are de-identified.
7. References and Vancouver style
Use numbered references in the order they first appear in the text—Vancouver style. Use bracketed numbers consistently—example: “…as previously reported (1).”
For online resources, provide as much detail as possible—organisation, title, year, URL, and date accessed. The editorial process may standardise minor variations in style.
8. Article IDs and pagination
The journal uses Article IDs rather than shared page ranges. Each article is assigned an ID within its issue—Article 1, Article 2, etc. A typical citation might read: Functionologist J 2026;1(1):Article 1.
Authors may number pages within their own manuscript and final PDF—pages 1–X—but there is no need to align these with a journal-wide page sequence.
9. Declarations
Where applicable, include brief statements at the end of the manuscript covering:
Conflicts of interest—any financial or professional interests that could be perceived as influencing the work.
Funding—grants, sponsorship, institutional support, or equipment support.
Ethical considerations and consent—especially for clinical material, case reports, or investigational content.
If none—state explicitly that there are no conflicts and no external funding.
10. Submission process
At this stage, submissions are received directly by the editor rather than through a fully automated manuscript system.
Prepare your article using the Word .docx template and the guidelines above.
Ensure all clinical and organisational details are sufficiently de-identified.
Submit the file by email—journal@thefunctionologist.com—or via the Contact page as indicated on the site.
If the article appears potentially suitable, you may be asked for clarifications or minor revisions before it is scheduled for an issue and assigned an Article ID.
11. Costs and services
The Functionologist Journal is intended to operate on a cost-recovery model to support editorial review, digital infrastructure, and long-term archiving. There is no submission fee. Any charges—if implemented—will be stated clearly on the website and requested only after acceptance. Editorial independence is maintained—manuscripts are evaluated solely on clinical, scientific, and ethical merit; ability to pay does not influence editorial decisions.
Submissions and correspondence—journal@thefunctionologist.com