Peer Review Week 2026 | Discussing the Themes with the Editor-in-Chiefs of the SLAS Journals

In this episode, we celebrate Peer Review Week 2026 with guests SLAS Discovery Editor-in-Chief Bob Campbell, PhD, and SLAS Technology Editor-in-Chief Ed Chow, PhD, to discuss the growing pressures on peer review—rising submission volumes (especially in AI and bioinformatics), fewer available reviewers post-COVID, and the challenge of finding crossover expertise. They advocate for formalized mentorship of early-career researchers, emphasize that good reviews offer constructive paths to publication rather than outright rejection, and encourage reviewers to accept or decline quickly and prioritize revision rounds. Key Learning Points Capacity is squeezed – Submission volume is up (especially in silico/AI papers), while reviewers are more selective and reviewing less than pre-COVID. Mentorship matters – Pairwise mentor programs (PI + grad student/fellow) formalize peer review training and build the next generation of reviewers. Good reviews improve papers – The best reports give concrete, actionable suggestions and ask whether results justify conclusions—not just reject. Know your expertise – Reviewers should ask editors if unsure about fit; editors can pair a statistician with a biologist, for example. Timeliness is critical – Accept or decline quickly; revision reviews should be fast since they only assess whether authors addressed prior comments. Stay connected with SLAS: www.slas.org | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube About SLAS SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building.