Introduction

Literature reviews are an important component of medical research. As well as providing a comprehensive and useful summary of existing knowledge, they contextualise research and help provide a platform for further study. Collaboration by authors from different institutions and scientific disciplines can lead to fresh perspectives and even deeper insights.

Client

A group of over 20 world-leading experts in the fields of immunology and immunomonitoring assays.

 Challenge

• We were asked to coordinate a collaborative literature review that comprehensively discussed and compared traditional and cutting-edge immunomonitoring techniques.
• The aim was to create a resource that, when published, was accessible to researchers and could be used as a guide during clinical trial design.

 Approach

• A kick-off meeting was held to introduce the authors and discuss the project scope and timelines.
• Authors were split into groups according to their expertise to draft their allocated sections of the paper.
• Our writer coordinated collection of the drafted sections and amalgamated them into a first draft.
• Careful editing was required to harmonise writing styles, avoid duplication, and streamline the text to an appropriate length.
• We worked within target journal guidelines and built an EndNote library to ensure accurate referencing of the article.
• Using SharePoint, we facilitated 3 rounds of author review and provided advice and assistance where conflicting opinions arose.
• As the manuscript evolved, we held regular online meetings with the lead authors to discuss content-related queries and ensure our approach was aligned with their goals.
• Under the guidance of the lead authors, we handled all aspects of the submission to the target journal and worked with the author group to revise the manuscript following peer review.

 Result

• The literature review was successfully published in a journal from the Nature portfolio. Client feedback highlighted the team’s clear communication, strong coordination, and consistent support throughout the literature review process. Particular appreciation was expressed for the quality of the work. Overall, the feedback received reflects a highly collaborative partnership which contributed to the success of this project and continues to underpin our ongoing support of the client’s preclinical and clinical publications in the immunology space.