EACR member Amel Aziba has now completed her EACR-Molecular Oncology Editorial Fellowship, funding that is awarded to enable a talented cancer researcher to gain knowledge and experience of scientific publishing through a 3-month placement with our affiliated journal Molecular Oncology.
Amel is a PhD Student at the University of Würzburg, Germany and completed her fellowship at the Molecular Oncology Editorial Office in Heidelberg, Germany between March and June 2026. We recently caught up with her to hear about her experience.
Why did you decide to apply for an EACR-Molecular Oncology Editorial Fellowship?
I decided to apply for the EACR-Molecular Oncology Editorial Fellowship due to my longstanding interest in scientific publishing. Having always enjoyed reading and writing, my affinity for literature naturally extended to scientific publishing. A talk by Lisa Hoffmann-Haas, a former editor at Nature Cancer, in which she shared insights into her work, further strengthened my interest in an editorial career.
After I shared this aspiration with my primary supervisor, Prof. Dr. Martin Eilers, he involved me in writing co-reviews, giving me my first opportunity to evaluate scientific manuscripts. As I am now finalising my PhD thesis, this fellowship was the ideal opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the work of a scientific editor and to further explore this career path before transitioning into an editorial role.
Can you summarise what you learned during your editorial fellowship?
During my fellowship, I learned about the diverse responsibilities of a scientific editor. For example, I gained insight into the key considerations involved in evaluating newly submitted manuscripts and assessing their suitability for peer review. This included learning how to communicate editorial decisions within the editorial team and to authors by clearly summarising the main reasons underlying them. I was also involved in identifying suitable reviewers based on their expertise. In addition, I was trained to perform final editorial checks ‘First Looks’, an important quality-control step before manuscripts are published.
I particularly enjoyed writing the ‘May Issue Research Highlights’, which involved identifying relevant publications, conducting literature research, and writing concise summaries on the findings reported in the manuscripts included in the issue with focus on melanoma. Beyond manuscript handling, I learned about the role of social media in communicating scientific content and increasing the visibility of published research.
Finally, participating in the regular meetings of the editorial office allowed me to follow editorial discussions, understand how decisions are made, and gain a broader perspective of the day-to-day work of a scientific editor.
Describe a ‘typical day’ of your editorial fellowship.
A typical day of my Editorial Fellowship involved working closely with the journal editors Siddhi Maniyar and Michela Notarangelo, organising the allocation of newly submitted manuscripts and evaluating them as part of the initial editorial assessment. I also performed ‘First Looks’, which involved ensuring that manuscripts met journal standards before proceeding further in the publication process. Throughout these activities, I met regularly with Siddhi and Michela to discuss editorial decisions and identify suitable reviewers when required. Every Monday, I participated in the weekly editorial office meetings, and every second week we also met with the Editor-in-Chief, Kevin Ryan. In addition, I prepared the ‘May Issue Research Highlights’, drafted social media posts, and was introduced to the different software and workflows used at Molecular Oncology. Together, these activities gave me valuable insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of a scientific editor.
Did you take part in any interesting local activities during your visit to the Molecular Oncology Editorial Office in Heidelberg?
My personal highlight was definitely the office visit in Heidelberg, where I had the opportunity to meet the Molecular Oncology editorial office members, Ruzhica Bogeska and Siddhi Maniyar, as well as Yeliz Yilmaz, the first recipient of the Editorial Fellowship, who is now working at The FEBS Journal. It was a great pleasure to meet them in person, discuss editorial careers and learn from their experiences and career paths. I also greatly enjoyed spending time together in the office, sharing lunch breaks, coffee, sweet treats, and tapas, which made me feel very welcome. Being able to finalise and submit the ‘May Issue Research Highlights’ during my visit made the experience even more exciting, and having dinner together with members of the FEBS Press team on my final evening was the perfect way to conclude the visit.
Did you have a personal mentor or anyone who particularly helped you?
During the Editorial Fellowship, I was greatly supported by Ruzhica Bogeska, the Managing Editor of Molecular Oncology, who ensured a very well-organised and welcoming onboarding. During my stay in Heidelberg, she showed me around the university campus and the editorial office, supported me while writing the ‘May Issue Research Highlights’, and was always available whenever I had a question. I greatly enjoyed working with her and spending time together throughout my visit.
It was also a pleasure to meet Yeliz Yilmaz in Heidelberg. I really enjoyed having tapas with Ruzhica and Yeliz, during which we had engaging conversations about scientific careers and beyond. Yeliz shared her experiences as the first recipient of the Editorial Fellowship and her transition to The FEBS Journal. Her insights were both encouraging and inspiring.
In addition, Siddhi Maniyar and Michela Notarangelo introduced me to the daily work of a scientific editor. They carefully explained how manuscripts are evaluated and regularly met with me to discuss editorial decisions, from which I learned a great deal.
How has this fellowship been beneficial to your career?
I believe this fellowship has been beneficial not only for my research and my career, but also for my personal growth. I had the opportunity to learn from people with extensive experience and knowledge, including how to carefully read and assess manuscripts, how to engage in scientific discussions, and, most importantly, how to balance critical thinking with an open mind toward important scientific advances. Over the course of just a few months, I refined my critical evaluation skills, developed a broader perspective on scientific publishing, met inspiring people, and gained valuable insights from their different career paths. It was a truly rewarding experience.
Do you intend to pursue a career in scientific publishing?
Yes, definitely! I am currently finishing writing my PhD thesis, and as soon as I graduate, I will actively pursue job opportunities in the editorial field. The Editorial Fellowship has strongly reinforced my decision to pursue this career path by giving me valuable insight into the work of a scientific editor. I am excited to take the next step and begin my career in scientific publishing.
EACR-Molecular Oncology Editorial Fellowship
To find out more about this opportunity, click here.
