Pre-Submission Preflight (cc-submission)

When to trigger

• About to click submit
• Unsure which files / statements the portal needs
• Final consistency pass across manuscript, figures, KRT, and declarations

Pre-submission checklist

Files & format

• Manuscript file (DOC/DOCX or PDF per current spec), line/page numbers on
• Figures at required resolution and format (TIFF/EPS/PDF); each cited in order
• Supplemental items packaged; supplemental tables/data referenced in text
• Graphical abstract file (if used) at required size/resolution
• Cover letter attached (from cc-cover-letter)
• Highlights and eTOC blurb included (from cc-structured-abstract)

STAR Methods & rigor

• STAR Methods headings complete; Key Resources Table at the top
• Every antibody / cell line / organism / plasmid / software has source + RRID
• Cell lines authenticated; mycoplasma-negative stated
• Animal section: sample size, randomization, blinding, exclusions

Statistics

• n defined per panel as biological replicates; no pseudo-replication
• Tests named; multiple comparisons / FDR corrected
• Error bars defined (SD/SEM/CI) in every legend; exact p where feasible

Figures & integrity

• Each representative image paired with replicate quantification
• Uncropped blots in supplement; no undisclosed splicing; linear adjustments
• Scale bars and labeled axes/markers present

Ethics & availability

• IACUC approval + protocol # (if animals); IRB + consent + Helsinki (if human)
• Data and code availability statement complete; accessions match the KRT
• Deposition records created (GEO/SRA/PRIDE/PDB) with reviewer tokens if needed
• Competing interests, funding, and author contributions stated; ORCIDs linked

Front matter & consistency

• Summary within word limit; Highlights within count/length
• Gene/protein nomenclature consistent across text, figures, front matter
• Every in-text figure/table/reference citation resolves; reference style correct
• Claims match evidence (no therapeutic claim without in vivo/human support)

Portal logistics

• Submit through the Cell Press portal linked from the Cancer Cell author page (verify current URL).
• Have suggested/excluded reviewers ready; complete all required metadata fields.
• Confirm corresponding author and all co-author details/affiliations.
• Verify volatile items (word/figure limits, fees, required statements) on the live author page — they change.

Anti-patterns

• Submitting with sequencing/proteomics data "available on request"
• Key Resources Table missing or with reagents lacking RRIDs
• Cell lines unauthenticated / no mycoplasma statement
• Representative images with no quantification
• Mismatched accessions between KRT and availability statement
• Figures not cited in order; broken cross-references

Submission readiness pass for Cancer Cell

Use this as a second-pass capability check. First lock the cancer context, mechanism, model system, validation chain, and translational boundary; then test whether the manuscript addresses cancer-biology reviewers who expect mechanistic oncology, translational relevance, and strong multi-modal validation.

• Primary move: Verify portal, article type, anonymity, declarations, files, data/code, and current source-map facts; return blockers before formatting advice.
• Decision ledger: return claim / evidence / blocker / next edit rows so the next pass can patch the manuscript directly.
• Neighbor test: compare against Cell for broader biology, Nature Cancer for oncology breadth, Clinical Cancer Research for clinical translation; if the neighboring outlet has the stronger audience claim, recommend re-routing before polishing.
• Verification floor: before submission-ready advice, re-open resources/official-source-map.md for volatile rules and name the one unresolved fact that could change the recommendation.

Output format

【Files】manuscript / figures / supplement / graphical abstract / cover letter complete?
【STAR Methods + KRT】complete? RRIDs present?
【Rigor】authentication / mycoplasma / animal rigor OK?
【Statistics】n / tests / multiplicity / error bars OK?
【Integrity】quantification / raw blots / scale bars OK?
【Ethics & data】approvals + accessions + code DOI present?
【Front matter】Summary / Highlights / nomenclature consistent?
【Next step】Submit → await reviews → cc-peer-review-revision

Related resources

• templates/manuscript_template.md — Cell Press manuscript skeleton (Summary, Highlights, STAR Methods, Key Resources Table, data availability)
• templates/checklist.md — Full pre-submission self-check across scope, rigor, statistics, figures, ethics, and deposition
• ../../resources/external_tools.md — Repositories (GEO/SRA/PRIDE/PDB), reporting frameworks, and bioinformatics / imaging software