Author Interview: Dr. Long Bai

Event Introduction:

Since its founding in 2016, Bioactive Materials (BAM) has emerged as a leading international platform in materials science and biomedicine. Over the past decade, the journal has achieved remarkable growth, with its impact factor rising from 8.724 (2019) to 20.3 (2024). It has also been listed as a top-tier journal in the Chinese Academy of Sciences Journal Classification (Q1) and the T1 category of the High-Quality Scientific Journal Grading Catalog for materials science for five years (2020–2025). None of this would have been possible without the trust and contributions of our global authors, whose innovative research has shaped BAM’s success. 

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we launch the Author Interviews series, featuring distinguished contributors who have grown alongside BAM—including early-stage submitters, highly cited scholars, and rising scientists. Through their stories, we will explore their journeys with BAM: from the excitement of first submissions to the impact of published research, from upholding research integrity to navigating academic influence, and their visions for the field’s future. These conversations aim to provide practical insights for emerging researchers and express our deepest gratitude to all authors who have been part of our journey. 

Author Interview: Dr. Long Bai

Dr. Long Bai, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute of Translational Medicine at Shanghai University, Director of the Center for Bone Organoid Research, and Deputy Director of the Institute Office. He serves as Managing Editor and Chair of the Youth Editorial Board of Organoid Research, and Secretary of the Shanghai University Branch of the National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai). Dr. Bai was selected for the 9th China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) Young Talent Support Program, the 2024 Shanghai Youth Science and Technology 35 Under 35 (35U35), the 2025 Science Communication China Expert Program, and the 2024 Pujiang Innovation Forum Youth Innovation Pioneer. He received the Third Prize of the 2024 Huaxia Medical Science and Technology Award (ranked 7/15), the “Youth Innovation Pioneer” title from the Pujiang Innovation Forum, and the 2019 Shanghai “Super Postdoctoral” Incentive Program. Dr. Bai holds memberships in the Chinese Society for Biomaterials (Division of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Materials), the Chinese Society for Composite Materials (Division of Biocomposites), the Chinese Society for Cell Biology (Organoid Research and Application Division), and the Youth Committee of the International Chinese Musculoskeletal Research Society (ICMRS). He serves on the Youth Editorial Boards of Biomaterials Translational, BMEMat, Brain-X, Exploration, and Military Medical Research.

 

His research focuses on the materiobiological construction of bone organoids. To date, he has led seven research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program and Youth Fund) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Special Grant). He has published 63 SCI-indexed papers as corresponding or first author in Advanced Materials, Bioactive Materials, Biomaterials, Bone Research, among others, with an H-index of 31 and over 3,000 citations. He holds three authorized invention patents and has contributed to three academic books.

Here is the interview we did with him:

I. Origins with BAM

1. What first introduced you to BAM? Do you remember the research topic of your first submission to BAM? What key factors influenced your decision to choose BAM at the time?

I first became aware of Bioactive Materials during my postdoctoral research. At that time, high-quality English-language journals from China were not yet as diverse and flourishing as they are today. However, BAM had already distinguished itself in the field of biomaterials with its clear academic focus and rapidly growing international influence, making it a key platform I followed closely.

My first submission to BAM coincided with the global rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative force in life science research. Under the guidance of Professor Jiacan Su, we completed a review article titled “AI-enabled organoids: Construction, analysis, and application”, which systematically summarized the core roles of AI in organoid construction, functional analysis, and translational application. The paper highlighted AI-driven advances in design optimization, mechanistic modeling, and preclinical evaluation. Since its publication less than two years ago, the article has been cited over 114 times by journals including Nature Medicine, and was recognized as an ESI Highly Cited Paper and awarded Best Paper of the Year by BAM.

I chose BAM not only for its growing international reputation and academic authority in materials biology, but also for its forward-looking openness to emerging interdisciplinary directions-an outlook that strongly resonates with my research focus on the materiobiological construction of bone organoids. The efficient communication and rigorous peer review process further confirmed to me that BAM is a high-caliber platform that truly values scientific originality and academic contribution.

2. Among your publications in BAM, which article stands out the most? How has it impacted your academic career?

In my view, the most impactful article is the review titled "The horizon of bone organoid: A perspective on construction and application." This was not only my first comprehensive exposure to the construction strategies and scientific significance of bone organoids, but also marked the starting point of my transition from traditional bone repair materials to the materiobiological construction of bone organoids.

The article systematically reviewed the key elements in bone organoid development, including the selection of bioactive scaffolds, reconstruction of the microenvironment, regulation of biological signaling, and the potential of organoids in disease modeling and drug screening. It provided a clear theoretical framework and technical roadmap that has guided my subsequent research.

More importantly, this article helped me clarify the fundamental questions of “why pursue this direction” and “how to approach it”, and strengthened my confidence in advancing organoid platform technologies through material science. Its publication made me realize that bone organoid research is not only a scientific frontier, but also a pivotal intermediary for clinical translation and personalized therapy. This clarity of direction has had a profound impact on my academic development.

3. As a long-term supporter of BAM, how would you describe the journal’s development over the past decade (e.g., impact factor, review processes, internationalization)? What changes have impressed you the most?

With a steadily rising impact factor, continuously improving manuscript quality, and an increasingly efficient and rigorous peer-review system, Bioactive Materials has, over the past decade, risen from a domestic emerging journal to a globally recognized top-tier platform. This remarkable ascent reflects not only the broader integration of materials science and life sciences, but also the sustained accumulation and global contribution of China's independent academic capacity in this field.

As an author, I have clearly witnessed the journal’s progress in both academic depth and directional leadership. First, the thematic scope has expanded significantly. While BAM initially focused on biomaterials, it has, in recent years, actively embraced interdisciplinary areas such as organoids, artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and biomedical imaging-demonstrating a strong ability to anticipate emerging research frontiers.

Second, the peer-review system has undergone continuous refinement. The introduction of a double-blind review process has significantly enhanced objectivity and fairness, especially benefiting early-career researchers and interdisciplinary authors by ensuring the evaluation focuses on scientific content rather than academic profile.

Third, BAM’s international influence and content planning have matured considerably. From the precision of thematic special issues to the efficiency and professionalism of author-editor communication, every stage of the process reflects the editorial team’s keen academic sensitivity and sound judgment, making the entire submission experience both efficient and rewarding.

To me, BAM is no longer merely a publication outlet-it has become a valuable partner that deepens my research direction and accelerates the dissemination of my scientific contributions.

 

II. Submission and Academic Exchange Experiences

4. Could you share your secrets to success in submitting to BAM? For example, how do you prepare manuscripts that align with the journal’s scope? How do you efficiently respond to reviewer comments?

I believe that thorough preparation is essential before submission. Prior to submitting a manuscript to BAM, I typically conduct a systematic review of the journal’s highly cited articles from the past year to understand its thematic focus, problem orientation, and academic style. I pay particular attention to whether the manuscript demonstrates cutting-edge topics, interdisciplinary content, and translational potential-three key elements that align well with BAM’s positioning.

When responding to reviewers’ comments, I usually adopt a point-by-point format with clear numbering, often including corresponding figures or data to support each reply. Every response is grounded in evidence or a well-reasoned explanation, and I avoid any emotional or defensive tone. In one case, a reviewer commented that certain aspects of our study lacked specificity. In response, we added additional experimental data and cited several relevant studies to enhance the transparency and verifiability of our claims.

In my experience, one of the most important aspects of submitting to BAM is to convince reviewers that you are serious about the science and sincerely committed to improving the manuscript. This attitude often leads to constructive dialogue and a smoother review process.

5. BAM emphasizes mult-discipline-crossing and clinical translation potential. How do you balance academic innovation with practical application in your research design?

My supervisor, Academician Changsheng Liu, often emphasizes that the ultimate goal of scientific research is to explore the unknown, solve critical problems, and ultimately serve society. This guiding philosophy has had a profound impact on me and has consistently shaped the way I approach research.

I have always adhered to a research strategy that is driven by real clinical challenges and grounded in fundamental scientific inquiry, aiming to find the optimal intersection between scientific value and translational potential.

Take bone organoid research as an example. The core of this emerging field lies in whether we can reconstruct the dynamic microenvironment required for bone development and regeneration in vitro through rational material design. Constructing a bone organoid is not a matter of simple technical assembly-it requires the integration of systems biology thinking into multiple dimensions of material design, including structure, function, and signaling responsiveness.

The “organoid matrix hydrogel” we developed exemplifies this concept. It is the product of a deep integration between materials science and stem cell engineering, and it has demonstrated promising applications in tissue reconstruction, disease modeling, and drug evaluation. This research pathway not only reflects innovation in mechanistic understanding but also directly addresses clinical needs in personalized therapy.

6. Research integrity is a core principle of BAM. How do you ensure the authenticity and reproducibility of your data in your research? What advice would you give to early-career scholars on this topic?

For early-career researchers, scientific integrity is not only a professional baseline, but also the foundation for long-term academic credibility and accumulation. In our research, we adhere to a “three-tier validation” principle: experimental repetition, methodological cross-validation, and third-party verification. In addition, we have established an internal standardized workflow that covers everything from raw data documentation to image duplication checks, ensuring that every dataset is fully traceable and verifiable.

 

III. Discipline Outlook and Future Aspirations  

7. At the forefront of the materials science and biomedicine intersection, what do you see as the key breakthrough directions for the next decade? How might BAM contribute to these developments?

In the next decade, I believe organoid technology will become a pivotal intersection between materials science and life sciences. With the continued advancement of materiobiology, materials are evolving from passive structural supports and microenvironmental regulators into intelligent mediators that actively facilitate tissue self-assembly, functional simulation, and dynamic responsiveness.

Looking forward, organoids are expected to integrate with emerging directions such as biohybrid robots, soft materials, and controllable actuation systems, giving rise to living bioinspired systems capable of motion, environmental sensing, and task execution. These systems will enable transformative progress in disease modeling, drug testing, and minimally invasive therapies.

Against this backdrop, Bioactive Materials will serve not only as a premier platform for disseminating frontier research, but also as a critical nexus for interdisciplinary integration and value amplification across the innovation chain-from mechanism discovery to material design, system integration, and functional realization.

8. What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to young scholars submitting to BAM for the first time?

I would advise young researchers not to focus solely on what a material does, but to ask why it behaves that way. High-quality journals are more interested in whether the study addresses a fundamental scientific question, builds a clear mechanistic framework through material design, and supports it with systematic experimental validation.

Rather than simply stacking different materials together, it is more important to define a clear construction rationale-for example, designing materials to create a specific microenvironment, activate targeted signaling pathways, or reprogram cellular behaviors, and then validating these effects through multidimensional experimental evidence.

Explain the “why” with mechanisms and support the “what” with data-that is the key to impressing reviewers and leaving a lasting academic impact.

9. Please share a one-sentence wish for BAM’s next decade and your expectations for the journal.

May Bioactive Materials remain true to its academic publishing mission in the decade ahead, continue to lead global innovation at the intersection of biomaterials and life sciences, and drive more original breakthroughs toward clinical translation, industrial application, and the forefront of international scientific competition-contributing even more significantly to the advancement of global health.