Feinstein Institutes’ Journal Molecular Medicine Reaches All-Time High Impact Factor; Bioelectronic Medicine Receives First

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 22, 2026--

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the home of medical research at the Northeast’s largest non-profit health system Northwell Health, today announced that its two peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journals have reached significant milestones, reflecting the strength, quality and global influence of the research they publish.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622765504/en/

Molecular Medicine, published in collaboration with Springer Nature’s BioMed Central, has achieved its highest impact factor (IF) since the journal’s founding in 1994, raising its score to 8.3 from 6.4. Bioelectronic Medicine, also published with BioMed Central, has received its first-ever impact factor of 6.8, marking a major milestone for the innovative journal.

An impact factor is a key measurement of a journal’s importance and influence within the scientific community. It is calculated by dividing the number of 2025’s citations by the total number of articles published in the previous two years, according to analytics firm Clarivate. These scores help researchers determine where to publish their work and which journals to consult for foundational studies.

“Science advances when researchers publish foundational work and build upon it with new experiments,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes, Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research and editor-in-chief of Bioelectronic Medicine. “The high impact factors of both Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine are evidence that leading researchers worldwide are turning to these journals as publication platforms for important new science.”

Molecular Medicine is now ranked among top journals; 38th out of 328 in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology category and 40th out of 207 in the Cell Biology category. It receives thousands of research submissions each year. After a rigorous review process, the journal publishes approximately 10 percent of submitted manuscripts, and more than 460,000 papers have been downloaded to date.

“This is a significant achievement and a reflection of the dedication of our editorial team and the quality of research we publish,” said Betty Diamond, MD, director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes and editor-in-chief of Molecular Medicine. “Impact factors help inform fellow researchers about the reach and influence a medical journal has on the larger scientific community and why they should consider submitting their studies for publication. We are proud of this milestone and hope it encourages more scientists to share their important work with us.”

Bioelectronic Medicine is now ranked 23rd out of 130 in the Engineering, Biomedical category and 42nd out of 330 in the Neurosciences category. The journal’s inaugural IF is a testament to the growing interest in the field of bioelectronic medicine, a field significantly bolstered by the recent landmark approval of the first vagus nerve implant stimulator to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis by the Food and Drug Administration in 2025.

The field of bioelectronic medicine – a convergence of molecular medicine, neuroscience and bioengineering – was pioneered at the Feinstein Institutes through the groundbreaking work of Dr. Tracey. The journal focuses on the use of implanted nerve-stimulating devices to measure, block, or regulate electrical signaling in the nervous system to treat diseases without pharmaceuticals. It bridges multiple disciplines – including material science, electrical engineering, artificial intelligence and immunology – and publishes research on precision neuromodulation, targeted pathways for managing conditions like arthritis and paralysis and closed-loop implantable systems.

“Receiving our first impact factor of 6.8 is a major milestone for Bioelectronic Medicine and reflects the groundbreaking work being done in this rapidly evolving field,” said Valentin A. Pavlov, PhD, professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, executive editor of Bioelectronic Medicine and Molecular Medicine. “This recognition validates the journal’s mission to advance bioelectronic medicine and showcases the innovative research shaping the future of treating disease through neuromodulation.”

Researchers interested in publishing in Molecular Medicine can submit manuscripts online here. Those interested in Bioelectronic Medicine can visit here.

About the Feinstein Institutes
The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Researchis the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its six institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, translational research, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in health condition, including endometriosis, lupus, postpartum depression, schizophrenia, sepsis. We are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – an innovative field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visithttp://feinstein.northwell.eduand follow us onLinkedIn.

Peer-reviewed research journals Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine reach major milestones with record impact factors.

Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was suspended for four years on Monday for refusing an anti-doping test, the latest high-profile player sanctioned.

The Czech cited “mental stress” and fear when the testing agent “rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves.”

The International Tennis Integrity Agency made the announcement, saying Vondrousova refused a test in December and the maximum four-year ban for a routine first offense was reached by an independent tribunal following a hearing this month.

Vondrousova became Wimbledon’s first unseeded female champion when she beat Ons Jabeur in the 2023 final. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 that year. She also reached the French Open final in 2019, losing to Ash Barty.

The 26-year-old Vondrousova detailed her reaction to the missed test in an Instagram post in April.

“It is very tough for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with you about my mental health,” Vondrousova said. “The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.”

The ITIA said Vondrousova “did not submit a sample when notified by a Doping Control Officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home at around 8 p.m. on 3 December 2025” and that she instead signed a refusal form.

“I have never doped. I have never had a positive test,” Vondrousova wrote on Instagram after the ruling was released. “Throughout my entire career, I have undergone countless anti-doping controls and have always stepped onto the court with a clear conscience. Just three days after the incident that ultimately changed my life, I was tested again. The result was negative. Just like every test before it.”

Vondrousova was represented by Los Angeles-based lawyer Howard Jacobs, a specialist in doping rules cases. Jacobs helped two-time Grand Slam singles champion Simona Halep win an appeal case in 2024 at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a four-year ban for doping.

Vondrousova becomes the latest high-profile tennis player involved in a doping case after Halep, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

Sinner accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency at the start of last year and Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension at the end of 2024.

Halep, Sinner and Swiatek each proved they were not entirely responsible for their positive tests.

“We recognize this is a significant ban,” ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said. “You can’t have an anti-doping system where a player is in a better place by refusing to take a test than they would by taking a test and testing positive. So that feeds into the structure of the doping rules that provides for a starting point in the four-year ban for refusing to take a test.”

Vondrousova’s ban expires June 21, 2030. She can appeal the decision to the Switzerland-based CAS.

During a hearing before the tribunal, Vondrousova presented explanations that stress and poor mental health affected her decision making, in addition to concerns for her safety because she claimed the tester did not identity herself.

The tribunal also took testimony from the doping control officer and concluded the evidence offered “no compelling justification” for the test refusal.

Tennis players and other pro athletes are required by anti-doping rules to specify where they will be available for a one-hour period each day to give samples for testing.

The female testing agent showed up at Vondrousova’s home outside the assigned hour that the player signed up for that day — in a surprise test. Athletes are required to submit for testing if they are located for a surprise test outside their assigned hour. If they are not found when a tester shows up outside assigned hours, there is no sanction.

“Unpredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport,” Moorhouse said. “The independent tribunal ultimately supported that principle. This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk.”

The ITIA would not say if any inconsistencies were found in Vondrousova's previous anti-doping history.

“We wouldn’t disclose that,” said Nicole Sapstead, the ITIA's senior director of anti-doping, adding: “We look at all things like that.”

Vondrousova, ranked 122, hasn't played since January.

Wimbledon starts next week.

AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

FILE - Marketa Vondrousova, of the Czech Republic, reacts after defeating Jasmine Paolini, of Italy, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file)

FILE - Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova celebrates with the trophy after beating Tunisia's Ons Jabeur to win the final of the women's singles on day thirteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Saturday, July 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, file)