IHB hosted a delegation from Springer Nature on June 24, 2026 for an editorial outreach event organized in partnership with the publisher. (Credit: IHB)

The Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, hosted a delegation from Springer Nature on June 24, 2026 for an editorial outreach event organized in partnership with the publisher. IHB director MIAO Wei and deputy director XU Zhen met with CUI Xiaoying, vice president of Springer Nature (Northeast Asia), and her team.

The delegation included Dr. Rosy Favicchio, senior editor of Nature Protocols. Also in attendance were IHB Professors SUN Yonghua, XIONG Jie, and YANG Liandong, along with representatives from the institute’s Office of Basic Science and Technology Capacity. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Director Xu.

Director Miao welcomed the visitors and traced IHB’s historical development across fields including hydrobiology, freshwater ecology, and phycology. He laid out how the institute is aligning its research with national strategic priorities, while stressing its growing focus on original discovery and international visibility. He expressed hope that direct engagement with Springer Nature would foster a practical and productive partnership, broaden the international perspective of IHB researchers, and facilitate the global visibility of high-impact research emerging from the institute.

CUI Xiaoying thanked IHB for its warm welcome, then outlined Springer Nature’s growth and the core principles driving the Nature journals. She commended IHB’s consistent success in publishing with Nature-series journals, and reinforced that Springer Nature will step up collaboration and offer targeted resources to fuel IHB’s next phase of growth. Following the talks, Director Miao and Vice President Cui exchanged gifts on behalf of their respective organizations.

In the academic session, Dr. Rosy Favicchio delivered a lecture titled “Inside Nature Journals：the Editorial Process and Writing Tips.” She outlined the distinct profiles and editorial scopes of Nature and its sister journals, and offered a detailed walkthrough of the manuscript handling process, from initial submission and editorial screening to peer review, revision, and final decision.

Drawing on real-world examples from Nature Protocols, she addressed common challenges faced by authors and shared practical guidance on writing effective cover letters, responding constructively to reviewers, and enhancing experimental reproducibility. She emphasized that a successful paper requires not only robust data and conceptual novelty, but also clear logical structuring and precise language to communicate its significance across disciplinary boundaries.

Attendees described the session as highly instructive, providing a rare behind-the-scenes look at editorial decision-making and actionable advice for future submissions.

A closed-door discussion followed, during which Dr. Favicchio engaged in depth with IHB faculty and principal investigators, offering tailored feedback on ongoing research directions and manuscript development strategies.

The event provided IHB researchers with direct access to senior editorial expertise from one of the world’s leading scientific publishers. It contributed to a vibrant academic atmosphere at the institute and is expected to support the international dissemination of its research and the enhancement of its scholarly influence.

Director Miao and Vice President Cui exchanged gifts on behalf of their respective organizations. (Credit: IHB)

In the academic session, Dr. Rosy Favicchio delivered a lecture titled “Inside Nature Journals：the Editorial Process and Writing Tips.”(Credit: IHB)