Submissions

The East African Journal of Biophysical and Computational Sciences (EAJBCS) (ISSN Online: 2789-3618; Print: 2789-360X) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by the College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University.

EAJBCS publishes high-quality original research, reviews, and short communications in biophysical, computational, and interdisciplinary natural sciences. The journal promotes rigorous, innovative, and impactful research that contributes to scientific advancement at both regional and global levels.

Published biannually in English, EAJBCS operates under a CC BY NC 4.0 license and does not charge publication fees, ensuring equitable access for authors. The journal is indexed in AJOL, DOAJ, CABI Abstracts, and FAO AGRIS, and holds a national Grade B accreditation.

Aims and Scope
EAJBCS aims to publish high-quality, original research that advances knowledge in biophysical, computational, and related interdisciplinary sciences. The journal promotes innovative, data-driven, and applied research addressing regional and global challenges.

The Journal invites publications from different disciplines to advance the depths of knowledge related to physics, chemistry, geology, biology, & veterinary medicine. The manuscript originated from other sciences such as biotechnology, sport science, statistics, and mathematics can also be accepted based on their adjunct nature from both regional and international researchers.

Special Issues 
The peer review process for special issues follows the same rigorous standards applied to regular submissions. In these cases, a guest editor may coordinate the review by selecting reviewers and providing recommendations; however, the Editor-in-Chief or designated section editor maintains full oversight to ensure that publishing ethics, transparency, and responsiveness are upheld. While guest editors may suggest decisions, the final responsibility for accepting or rejecting manuscripts rests with the journal editor. This approach guarantees that all special issues and article collections meet the same high standards of quality, integrity, and consistency as regular submissions.

2.1 Editorial Board

• The editorial board comprises recognized experts with diverse geographic and institutional affiliations, reflecting the journal’s commitment to inclusivity and international standards.
• Full names, affiliations, and contact information for all editorial board members are published on the journal website.
• The Editor-in-Chief and section editors are responsible for upholding editorial independence and ensuring the integrity of the peer review process.

Editorial Board Diversity:
EAJBCS is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in its editorial leadership, reviewer pool, and published content. The board is periodically reviewed to ensure representation across gender, ethnicity, career stage, and geographic region, in line with best practices recommended by the COPE.

2.2 Ownership and Management

• EAJBCS is owned and managed by the College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University.
• The journal’s governance structure, including the roles of the publisher, editorial board, and advisory committees, is transparently described on the journal website.

3.1 Open Access Statement
EAJBCS is an open-access journal. All articles are freely available online immediately upon publication, ensuring the widest possible dissemination and accessibility of research findings.

3.2 Licensing

• Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. This permits the sharing, distribution, and reproduction of the work in any medium for non-commercial purposes only, provided the original work is properly cited, and any changes made are clearly indicated.
• Licensing terms are clearly indicated on the full text of all published articles (PDF).
• Authors retain copyright of their work and grant EAJBCS the right to publish and distribute the article, as specified in the Manuscript Submission and Copyright Transfer Form provided below in the Copyright Notice section.

3.3 Article Processing Charges (APCs)

• EAJBCS does not charge submission or publication fees (APCs).

4.1 Article Types
EAJBCS accepts the following types of submissions:

• Original Research Articles: Full-length reports of novel research findings (a maximum of 6,000 words).
• Review Articles: Comprehensive syntheses of research topics (a maximum of 6,000 words).
• Short Communications: Brief reports of significant findings or methodological advances (up to 1,500 words).
• Book Reviews: Critical evaluations of recent publications in relevant fields (a maximum of 1,500 words).
• Editorials and Commentaries: Invited or submitted perspectives on topical issues.

4.2 Manuscript Structure
All manuscripts should adhere to the following structure, unless otherwise specified for particular article types:
1. Title Page

• Article title (concise and informative)
• Author names and affiliations
• Corresponding author’s contact information (email, postal address)
• ORCID iDs for all authors
• Suggested running head (max 50 characters)

2. Abstract

• Structured or unstructured (as appropriate), not exceeding 300 words
• Clearly state the purpose, methods, key results, and conclusions
• Avoid abbreviations and references

3. Keywords

• 3 to 7 keywords and separated by semicolons
• Select terms not present in the title to enhance discoverability

4. Main Text

• Introduction: Background, rationale, research gap, and objectives
• Materials and Methods: Detailed methodology, ethical approvals, data sources, statistical analysis, and reproducibility measures
• Results: Clear presentation of findings, supported by tables and figures as appropriate
• Discussion: Interpretation of results, comparison with existing literature, limitations, and implications
• Conclusion: Summary of main findings and recommendations

5. Acknowledgments

• Recognition of funding sources, technical assistance, and non-author contributions

6. Conflict of Interest Statement

• Disclosure of any financial or non-financial conflicts for all authors

7. Funding Statement

• Details of all funding sources supporting the work

8. Data Availability Statement

• Description of where and how supporting data can be accessed

9. Ethics Statement

• Confirmation of ethical approvals and informed consent, as applicable

10. Author Contributions

• Specification of each author’s role using the CRediT taxonomy

11. References

• Complete and consistently formatted list, following the APA (author-year) style

12. Tables and Figures

• Numbered sequentially, with descriptive titles and legends

13. Supplementary Materials

• Additional data, code, or materials, as appropriate

  5.1 Language and Style

• Manuscripts must be written in clear, concise English.
• Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to use professional English editing services before submission.

5.2 Formatting Requirements

• File formats: Microsoft Word (.docx, .doc, .rtf) or LaTeX (with accompanying PDF and source files).
• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point size
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides
• Page numbers: Automatic numbering on all pages
• SI units: Use the International System of Units throughout
• Abbreviations: Define at first use and avoid excessive use

5.3 Tables and Figures
5.3.1 Tables

• Prepare tables using the Word Table Editor or LaTeX tabular environment; avoid embedding tables as images.
• Tables should be numbered consecutively (Arabic numerals) and cited in the order of appearance in the text. Each table must have a concise title (maximum 20 words) placed above, and a detailed legend (maximum 300 words) below.
• Tables should be simple, self-explanatory, and not duplicate information presented in the text or figures. Experimental details may be included in the table legend where appropriate.
• All tables must be submitted on separate pages. Authors should indicate the approximate placement of each table within the text.
• The use of color and shading is not permitted. Emphasis may be indicated using superscripts, symbols, or bold text, which must be clearly explained in the legend.

5.3.1 Figure

• Figures should be numbered consecutively (Arabic numerals) and cited in order. Each figure must include a concise title and a descriptive legend.
• Figures should be submitted in high-resolution formats ( JPEG, GIF, PNG or embedded in PowerPoint/Word). Recommended resolution: 900 dpi (line art), 600 dpi (combined), and 300 dpi (photographs). Standard figure sizes should fit either single-column (~8 cm width) or full-page (~17 cm width). For images a landscape orientation is recommended (9:16).
• Use uppercase letters for figure parts (e.g., Figure 1A). All keys and symbols must be included within the figure. Avoid duplication of data and minimize unnecessary white space.
• Indicate figure placement in the text. Permission must be obtained for previously published material and acknowledged in the legend.

5.4 Supplementary Materials

• Authors may submit supplementary files (datasets, code, multimedia) to enhance the transparency and reproducibility of their work.
• Supplementary materials are subject to peer review and will be published alongside the article.

5.5 Citations and References

• All manuscripts must cite relevant and appropriate literature to support statements. Authors should ensure that citations are accurate, original, and directly support the claims made. Citation manipulation or inappropriate referencing may lead to rejection.
• Authors should:
  • Cite original sources where possible and avoid unnecessary or excessive citations
  • Ensure all cited works have been read and are properly represented
  • Avoid bias (e.g., excessive self-citation or citing from a single source or region)
  • Prefer peer-reviewed sources
• Only published, in-press, or publicly available preprints may be included in the reference list. Unpublished data and personal communications should be cited only within the text with permission.
• References must be formatted consistently using standard journal abbreviations (Index Medicus/MEDLINE) and listed in alphabetical order.

5.5.1 In-text citations

• Use the author–date (Harvard) style for in-text citations. Cite the author’s surname followed by the year (e.g., Blanco, 2024).
• For two authors, include both names (Nevo and Chen, 2024); for three or more, use the first author followed by et al. (e.g., Dave et al., 2024). Use lowercase letters (e.g., 2024a, 2024b) to distinguish multiple works by the same author in the same year.
• Multiple citations should be listed alphabetically and separated by semicolons. In narrative citations, include the author's name in the sentence; in parenthetical citations, include both author and year in parentheses.
• Ethiopian names should follow the same format (e.g., Dereje, 2024; Dereje and Bantewalu, 2024; Dereje et al., 2024).

5.5.1 In reference list
Journal article

• Szilard, R. (2004). Theories and applications of plate analysis: Classical, numerical and engineering methods. Appl.Mech. Rev.,57(6), B32–B33
• Kitterød, N.-O., & Leblois, É. (2021). Estimation of sediment thickness by solving poisson’s equation with bedrock outcrops as boundary conditions. Hydrology Research, 52(3), 597–619.
• Beirão da Veiga, L., Brezzi, F., Cangiani, A., Manzini, G., Marini, L. D., & Russo, A. (2013). Basic principles of virtual element methods. Mathematical Models and Methods in Applied Sciences, 23(01), 199–214.
• Bastian, P., Blatt, M., Dedner, A., Dreier, N.-A., Engwer, C., Fritze, R., Gräser, C., Grüninger, C., Kempf, D., Klöfkorn, R., et al. (2021). The dune framework: Basic concepts and recent developments. Computers & Mathematics with Applications, 81, 75–112.

Books

• de Boor, C. (2001). A practical guide to splines(3rd). Springer-Verlag
• Hoffman, J. D., & Frankel, S. (2018). Numerical methods for engineers and scientists. CRC Press.

Book chapter

• Smith, J. R., & Taylor, S. D. (2022). Digital literacy in the classroom. In M. L. Anderson (Ed.), Modern educational strategies (pp. 45–67). Academic Press.

Conference / workshop / seminar proceedings

• Roberts, L. (2024, June 12–14). The ethics of artificial intelligence in healthcare [Paper presentation]. Global Health Summit, Berlin, Germany.
• Nguyen, T. (2025). Neural networks for urban planning. In K. Schmidt (Ed.), Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on AI & City Design (pp. 112–125). Springer

Publications of organizations

• WHO (World Health Organization). (2023). World health statistics 2023: Monitoring health for the SDGs. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
• CSA (Central Statistical Authority). (1991). Agricultural Statistics. 1991. Addis Ababa, CTA Publications. 250 pp.

Dissertation or Thesis

• Kaufman, J. L. (2024). The impact of remote work on middle management communication [Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global
• Moreno, G. (2025). Urban heat islands and public health in coastal cities [Master's thesis, University of Miami]. Scholarly Repository. https://scholarship.miami.edu/theses/1234

Publications from websites (URLs)

• National Institute of Mental Health. (2022, May 10). Anxiety disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) (2000). Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to Ethiopia. FAOIWFP. Rome. (http://www.fao.org~/GIEWS ). (Accessed on 21 July 2000). 

6.1 Authorship Criteria

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data
• Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
• Final approval of the version to be published
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work

To qualify as an author, an individual (including any co-author) must have made a substantial contribution to at least one of the above criteria. Individuals who do not meet this requirement should be acknowledged rather than listed as authors.

6.2 Contributor Roles (CRediT Taxonomy)

Authors must specify their individual contributions using the CRediT taxonomy (e.g., conceptualization, methodology, data curation, writing – original draft, writing – review & editing, supervision, funding acquisition).

6.3 Corresponding Author Responsibilities

• Ensures all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript
• Manages all communications with the journal
• Handles post-publication queries and corrections

6.4 Changes to Authorship

• Any changes to the author list after submission require written consent from all authors, with a clear explanation for the change.

7.1 Publication Ethics

EAJBCS upholds the highest standards of publication ethics, guided by COPE and ICMJE principles.

• Plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, and other forms of misconduct are strictly prohibited.
• All submissions are screened using Turnitin software.
• Manuscripts with a similarity index >20% (excluding references) may be rejected.

7.2 Human and Animal Research

• Studies involving human participants must include a statement of ethical approval from an appropriate institutional review board (IRB) and confirmation of informed consent.
• Animal studies must comply with international, national, and institutional guidelines for humane treatment and include a statement of ethical approval.

7.3 Clinical Trials and Reporting Guidelines

• Authors must adhere to relevant reporting guidelines and submit completed checklists as supplementary files.

7.4 Data Availability and Transparency

• Authors must provide a Data Availability Statement describing where and how the data supporting the findings can be accessed, or explain any restrictions.
• Where possible, datasets should be deposited in recognized repositories with persistent identifiers (e.g., DOI).

7.5 Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure

• All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest, or state explicitly if none exist.
• Funding sources must be clearly identified, including grant numbers and the role of funders in the research.

7.6 Declaration on Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

• Authors must disclose any use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies during manuscript preparation at the time of submission. While such tools can support efficiency by helping synthesize literature, identify research gaps, generate ideas, or improve language and readability, they must never replace human expertise, critical thinking, or scholarly judgment. All AI-generated content must be carefully reviewed, verified, and edited to ensure accuracy, originality, and alignment with the author’s own analysis and insights.
• Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the content of their work, including safeguarding data privacy, intellectual property, and compliance with ethical standards. The use of AI tools must be transparent to readers, and a disclosure statement should be added in a dedicated section before the references list.
• AI tools must not be listed or cited as authors or co-authors, as authorship implies responsibilities that only humans can fulfill. Basic tools for grammar, spelling, or reference checking do not require disclosure.

Declaration statement on Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

• During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.

7.7 Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

• EAJBCS follows COPE guidelines for handling corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern.
• Authors are responsible for notifying the journal promptly if errors are identified post-publication.

  8.1 Peer Review Model

• EAJBCS operates a double-blind peer review process: both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other, minimizing bias and ensuring objective evaluation.
• In exceptional cases, open peer review or post-publication review may be considered, with appropriate disclosure.

8.2 Reviewer Selection and Recognition

• Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise, publication record, and absence of conflicts of interest.
• The journal maintains a diverse reviewer pool, reflecting geographic, institutional, and demographic diversity.
• Reviewers receive formal recognition, including certificates and eligibility for annual reviewer awards.

8.3 Peer Review Workflow

1. Initial Editorial Screening: Manuscripts are assessed for scope, originality, and compliance with submission guidelines.
2. Assignment to Section Editor: Suitable manuscripts are assigned to a section editor for oversight.
3. Reviewer Invitation: At least two independent reviewers are invited.
4. Review and Decision: Reviewers evaluate the manuscript for scientific rigor, originality, clarity, and ethical compliance, providing detailed reports and recommendations.
5. Editorial Decision: Based on reviewer feedback, the editor decides to accept, request revisions, or reject the manuscript.
6. Revision and Re-Review: Authors respond to reviewer comments and submit revised manuscripts, which may undergo further review.
7. Final Decision and Acceptance: Upon satisfactory revision, the manuscript is accepted for publication.

• EAJBCS encourages the sharing of data, code, and materials to promote transparency and reproducibility.
• Authors should deposit datasets and code in recognized repositories and provide persistent identifiers.
• If data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, or privacy constraints, authors must provide a clear explanation in the Data Availability Statement.

EAJBCS is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in its editorial practices, reviewer selection, and published content.
Authors are encouraged to:

• Use inclusive language and avoid bias in reporting
• Provide detailed demographic descriptions of study populations
• Justify sample selection and discuss generalizability constraints
• Include positionality or reflexivity statements where relevant
• Cite a diverse range of sources, including underrepresented scholars
• The journal periodically reviews its policies and practices to ensure alignment with evolving EDI standards.

• All articles are assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) and registered with CrossRef for persistent citation and discoverability.
• Metadata, including abstracts, keywords, author affiliations, and funding information, are provided in machine-readable formats to facilitate indexing in major databases such as AJOL, DOAJ, CABI Abstracts, and FAO AGRIS.
• The journal maintains up-to-date ISSN registration for both print and electronic versions.

12.1 Online Submission System

• Manuscripts must be submitted via the journal’s online submission platform by clicking
• Authors are required to complete all metadata fields, upload the main manuscript and supplementary files, and provide signed author agreements and ethical declarations.

12.2 Submission Checklist
Authors must ensure that:

• The manuscript adheres to the journal’s formatting and structure requirements
• All authors meet the authorship criteria and have approved the submission
• Ethical approvals and informed consent statements are included, as applicable
• Data availability, conflict of interest, and funding statements are provided
• Relevant reporting checklists are completed and uploaded
• Figures and tables are submitted in the correct format and resolution

12.3 Copyright Transfer and Author Agreement

• Upon acceptance, authors are required to sign a copyright transfer or license agreement, specifying the terms of publication and reuse.
• The agreement template is available on the journal website.

13.1 Proofs and Corrections

• Authors will receive proofs for review before publication.
• Only minor corrections (e.g., typographical errors) are permitted at this stage.
• Substantive changes require editorial approval.

  
13.2 Publication Frequency and Timeliness

• EAJBCS publishes articles on a biannual basis, with continuous online publication to ensure timely dissemination
• The journal adheres to its stated publication schedule and promptly communicates any delays to authors.

  
13.3 Post-Publication Updates

• Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are published in accordance with COPE and ICMJE guidelines, with clear linkage to the original article.

For inquiries regarding submissions, editorial policies, or technical support, please contact:
Editorial Office
East African Journal of Biophysical and Computational Sciences
Phone: +251-913-267054
Email: eajbcs@hu.edu.et

Principal Contact 
Dr. Admasu Tadesse
Editor in chief, EAJBCS
College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University
Phone +251-913267054
Email: admasut@hu.edu.et

Support Contact
Dr. Abnet Woldesenbet
Editorial Manager, EAJBCS
Phone +251- 911811819
Email: abnetm@hu.edu.et