IUBMB Life Template
Get your IUBMB Life paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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How to Use the IUBMB Life Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to IUBMB Life goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the IUBMB Life guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
What is the IUBMB Life Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to IUBMB Life. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the IUBMB Life journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an IUBMB Life submission:
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the IUBMB Life guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
What separates a clean submission from one that gets kicked back:
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the IUBMB Life guide for authors before you submit.
What does this IUBMB Life Template include?
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through the journal's submission system.
Steps to Use This Template with SciSpace Agent
- Click Start Writing on this page. The SciSpace Agent prompt screen opens with the template loaded.
- Use the loaded template, or upload a version your group already uses for IUBMB Life.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the IUBMB Life guide for authors.
- Run the prompt. The agent drafts into the correct structure and reference style.
- Use View Outputs to verify required statements and formatting are present.
- Export and submit through the journal's submission system.
IUBMB Life Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | IUBMB Life requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | The guide does not specify abstract word limits or structured abstract requirements. It states that research articles should be organized with 'Summary, Introduction, Experimental Procedures, Results, and Discussion' and that 'Critical Reviews and Hypothesis Papers should begin with a Summary followed by an Introduction,' but no word limit is given for the summary/abstract section itself |
| Main text | Research Articles: No word/page restrictions ('Articles may range from short to full length and we place no restrictions on their make-up'). Critical Reviews: 4,000-7,000 words including all illustrative material and bibliography. Working Hypothesis: Maximum 4 printed journal pages or approximately 2,500 words including all text and references plus 2-3 schemes/overviews |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 5-10 keywords required. The guide explicitly states: 'All critical reviews, research communications and hypotheses should be supplied with 5–10 suggested keywords.' |
| References | Numbered (Vancouver-style). References cited in text by number in parentheses, numbered in order of appearance, compiled in numerical order at end. Journal names abbreviated according to Chemical Abstracts. For Critical Reviews: maximum 70 references. For Working Hypotheses: maximum 40 references. EndNote style available at http://endnote.com/downloads/style/iubmb-life |
| Peer review | - The guide describes that 'manuscripts are examined by the editors and are also sent to outside referees for critical review' but does not explicitly state the peer review model (single-blind, double-blind, open, etc.) |
| Submission | authors.wiley.com/journal/IUB |
Quick Tips for Using the IUBMB Life Template
Read the IUBMB Life guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to IUBMB Life in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent IUBMB Life papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the IUBMB Life journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Before You Submit: Final Check
Do one focused pass against the IUBMB Life guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
