THE ISSLS PRIZE PROGRAM
SPONSORED BY EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL, SPRINGER

International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine | Fellowships and Awards | The ISSLS Prize program, sponsored by European Spine Journal, Springer

Watch this video to find out more about the ISSLS Prize

2027 ISSLS Prize Applications Opening 15 August

The ISSLS Prize program, sponsored by European Spine Journal, Springer, offers up to three awards of USD $20,000 each. Prizes are awarded competitively based on scientific merit in the following categories:

  • Basic Science

  • Bioengineering Science

  • Clinical Science

Eligibility & Submission Requirements

To be considered for the ISSLS Prize, submissions must meet the following criteria:

  • The manuscript must be a full, original article - not previously published or submitted for review elsewhere.

  • Applications to both the ISSLS Prize Program and the European Spine Journal must be submitted simultaneously during the ISSLS Prize Program application period (15 Aug - 15 Oct).

  • All submissions will undergo peer review through the European Spine Journal's standard review process.

  • Prize-winning papers are guaranteed publication in the European Spine Journal.

AI Use and Author Responsibility

  • Submissions must represent the authors' own original work, analysis, and interpretation.

  • AI tools (e.g. large language models) may be used to improve language and readability, or to assist with literature searching, but may not be used to generate the substantive text, data, figures, or references of the manuscript.

  • All authors must verify the accuracy of all content and confirm that every reference cited exists and supports the statement it accompanies. Authors bear full responsibility for all content regardless of how it was produced.

  • Any use of AI tools beyond basic language editing must be disclosed in a separate AI Declaration submitted with the manuscript, specifying the tool, version, and how it was used.

  • AI tools may not be listed as authors.

  • Fabricated references or data, or failure to disclose substantive AI use, constitute a breach of publication ethics and WILL result in disqualification and exclusion from ISSLS Prize submission for up to “five years”, following review by the ISSLS Executive Committee.

Note: Submission to the ISSLS Prize does not constitute submission for the ISSLS Annual Meeting abstract program. A separate abstract submission is required.

Presentation Requirement

At least one author of each winning paper is required to attend the 2027 ISSLS Annual Meeting (part of SpineWeek) in Montréal, Canada at their own expense, to present the work and accept the award.

Manuscript Guidelines

  • Manuscripts must be written in English and submitted as complete, original articles, including all references, tables, and illustrations.

  • Follow the European Spine Journal submission guidelines for formatting and online submission.

Submission Deadline: October 15, 2026

Submit your manuscript to both of the following:

ISSLS PRIZE WINNERS