Peer Review in Biomedical Sciences
Communication of scientific knowledge has changed dramatically in recent decades and the public perception of scientific discoveries depends on the peer review process of articles published in scientific journals. Preprints are key vehicles for the dissemination of scientific discoveries, but they are still not properly recognized by the scientific community since peer review is very limited. On the other hand, peer review is very heterogeneous and a fundamental aspect to improve it is to train young scientists on how to think critically and how to evaluate scientific knowledge in a professional way. Thus, this course aims to: i) train students on how to perform peer review of scientific manuscripts in a professional manner; ii) develop students' critical thinking; iii) contribute to the appreciation of preprints as important vehicles for the dissemination of scientific knowledge without restrictions; iv) contribute to the development of students' curricula, as their opinions will be published and indexed on the preLights platform. The evaluations will be based on qualitative analyses of the oral presentations of preprints in the field of biomedical sciences deposited in the bioRxiv server, of the critical reports written by the students, as well as of the participation of the students during the preprints discussions.
List by Marcus Oliveira, Mariana Ribeiro, Carmen Penido, clarissa maya-monteiro
Preprints:
Citrobacter rodentium infection activates colonic lamina propria group 2 innate lymphoid cells
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.02.631085v2
Link to preLight + postLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/citrobacter-rodentium-infection-activates-colonic-lamina-propria-group-2-innate-lymphoid-cells/
Beyond venomous fangs: Uloboridae spiders have lost their venom but not their toxicity
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.26.546488v2
Link to preLight + postLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/beyond-venomous-fangs-uloboridae-spiders-have-lost-their-venom-but-not-their-toxicity/
Inhibition of NF-κB Signaling by the Reactive Glycolytic Metabolite Methylglyoxal
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.13.653579v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/inhibition-of-nf-%ce%bab-signaling-by-the-reactive-glycolytic-metabolite-methylglyoxal/
Effects of transcranial photobiomodulation on peripheral biomarkers associated with oxidative stress and complex IV activity in the prefrontal cortex in rats subjected to chronic mild stress
TAM receptors control actomyosin dynamics in osteoclasts via RHOA-COFILIN-MYOSIN II signaling
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.12.589232v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/tam-receptors-control-actomyosin-dynamics-in-osteoclasts-via-rhoa-cofilin-myosin-ii-signaling/
Tandem duplication of serpin genes yields functional variation and snake venom inhibitors
https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.07.631777
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/tandem-duplication-of-serpin-genes-yields-functional-variation-and-snake-venom-inhibitors/
Enzymatic access to the rare ΔUA (1→4) Glc 3, 6, N-sulfated heparin disaccharide, implications for heparin quality control
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.26.615151v2
Link to preLight: https://doi.org/10.1242/prelights.39323
Factor XI localization in human deep venous thrombus and function of activated factor XI on venous thrombus formation and hemostasis in rabbit
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.19.558346v1
Link to preLight: https://doi.org/10.1242/prelights.39318
Triglyceride metabolism controls inflammation and APOE4-associated disease states in microglia
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.11.589145v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/triglyceride-metabolism-controls-inflammation-and-apoe4-associated-disease-states-in-microglia/
Impaired 26S proteasome causes learning and memory deficiency and induces neuroinflammation mediated by NF-κB in mice
NAD(H) homeostasis is essential for host protection mediated by glycolytic myeloid cells in tuberculosis
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.11.507472v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/nadh-homeostasis-is-essential-for-host-protection-mediated-by-glycolytic-myeloid-cells-in-tuberculosis/
NAD+ metabolism is a key modulator of bacterial respiratory epithelial infections
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.13.536709v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/nad-metabolism-is-a-key-modulator-of-bacterial-respiratory-epithelial-infections/
Metabolomic profiling reveals effects of marein on energy metabolism in HepG2 cells
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/176495v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/metabolomic-profiling-reveals-effects-of-marein-on-energy-metabolism-in-hepg2-cells/
Effects of Aerobic Exercise in Hepatic Lipid Droplet-Mitochondria interaction in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.31.526481v1
Link to preLight: https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/effects-of-aerobic-exercise-in-hepatic-lipid-droplet-mitochondria-interaction-in-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-v2/
Ubiquinone deficiency drives reverse electron transport to disrupt hepatic metabolic homeostasis in obesity
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.21.528863v1
This preprint describes how hepatic glucose metabolism is impaired in obesity by demonstrating that reduced ubiquinone biosynthesis in liver mitochondria leads to RET and superoxide production which ultimately drives glucose intolerance. Understanding how hepatic glucose metabolism is affected by obesity is remarkable and sets the ground for the development of rational strategies to improve and overcome glucose intolerance in metabolic diseases.
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September in preprints – Cell biology edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation, (2) Cell signalling and mechanosensing, (3) Cell metabolism, (4) Cell cycle and division, (5) Cell migration
| List by | Sristilekha Nath et al. |
July in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell Signalling and Mechanosensing (2) Cell Cycle and Division (3) Cell Migration and Cytoskeleton (4) Cancer Biology (5) Cell Organelles and Organisation
| List by | Girish Kale et al. |
June in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation (2) Cell signaling and mechanosensation (3) Genetics/gene expression (4) Biochemistry (5) Cytoskeleton
| List by | Barbora Knotkova et al. |
May in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) Biochemistry/metabolism 2) Cancer cell Biology 3) Cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton 4) Cell organelles and organisation 5) Cell signalling and 6) Genetics
| List by | Barbora Knotkova et al. |
Keystone Symposium – Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate
This preList contains preprints discussed during the Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate Keystone Symposia. This conference was organized by Lydia Finley and Ralph J. DeBerardinis and held in the Wylie Center and Tupper Manor at Endicott College, Beverly, MA, United States from May 7th to 9th 2025. This meeting marked the first in-person gathering of leading researchers exploring how metabolism influences development, including processes like cell fate, tissue patterning, and organ function, through nutrient availability and metabolic regulation. By integrating modern metabolic tools with genetic and epidemiological insights across model organisms, this event highlighted key mechanisms and identified open questions to advance the emerging field of developmental metabolism.
| List by | Virginia Savy, Martin Estermann |
April in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell cycle and division 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) (epi)genetics
| List by | Vibha SINGH et al. |
Biologists @ 100 conference preList
This preList aims to capture all preprints being discussed at the Biologists @100 conference in Liverpool, UK, either as part of the poster sessions or the (flash/short/full-length) talks.
| List by | Reinier Prosee, Jonathan Townson |
February in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry and cell metabolism 2) cell organelles and organisation 3) cell signalling, migration and mechanosensing
| List by | Barbora Knotkova et al. |
Community-driven preList – Immunology
In this community-driven preList, a group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of immunology have worked together to create this preprint reading list.
| List by | Felipe Del Valle Batalla et al. |
January in preprints – the CellBio edition
A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell migration 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) genetics/gene expression
| List by | Barbora Knotkova et al. |
BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting
This preList features preprints that were discussed and presented during the BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting in Birmingham, UK in April 2024. Kindly put together by Sara Morais da Silva, Reviews Editor at Journal of Cell Science.
| List by | Reinier Prosee |
CellBio 2022 – An ASCB/EMBO Meeting
This preLists features preprints that were discussed and presented during the CellBio 2022 meeting in Washington, DC in December 2022.
| List by | Nadja Hümpfer et al. |
20th “Genetics Workshops in Hungary”, Szeged (25th, September)
In this annual conference, Hungarian geneticists, biochemists and biotechnologists presented their works. Link: http://group.szbk.u-szeged.hu/minikonf/archive/prg2021.pdf
| List by | Nándor Lipták |
Fibroblasts
The advances in fibroblast biology preList explores the recent discoveries and preprints of the fibroblast world. Get ready to immerse yourself with this list created for fibroblasts aficionados and lovers, and beyond. Here, my goal is to include preprints of fibroblast biology, heterogeneity, fate, extracellular matrix, behavior, topography, single-cell atlases, spatial transcriptomics, and their matrix!
| List by | Osvaldo Contreras |
ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019
A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)
| List by | Madhuja Samaddar et al. |
EMBL Seeing is Believing – Imaging the Molecular Processes of Life
Preprints discussed at the 2019 edition of Seeing is Believing, at EMBL Heidelberg from the 9th-12th October 2019
| List by | Dey Lab |
Cellular metabolism
A curated list of preprints related to cellular metabolism at Biorxiv by Pablo Ranea Robles from the Prelights community. Special interest on lipid metabolism, peroxisomes and mitochondria.
| List by | Pablo Ranea Robles |
MitoList
This list of preprints is focused on work expanding our knowledge on mitochondria in any organism, tissue or cell type, from the normal biology to the pathology.
| List by | Sandra Franco Iborra |
Also in the biochemistry category:
Aspartate transaminases are required for blood development
Hannah Pletcher
HAK-actin, U-ExM-compatible probe to image the actin cytoskeleton
Kanishka Parashar
Beyond venomous fangs: Uloboridae spiders have lost their venom but not their toxicity
Daniel Fernando Reyes Enríquez, Marcus Oliveira
