I know usually the boss of the lab is the corresponding author. But should it be determined by how much contribution who has made? For example, you are a senior member of a lab, you have discoved something out of your own idea. Certainly you will be the first author of any publications generated from your work. Can you also be the corresponding author because your boss has no direct contribution to your work except that he contributed his grant money?

thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

The corresponding author should be the person who is willing and able to handle all correspondence with the journal editor, including responding to reviewers' comments and proofreading the final version, and all correspondence with readers of the published article.

So, the c. a. can be the head guy on the paper or it can be the person who actually did the work. But it should be someone who has not already left to lab to go on to do postdoc work someplace else.

Hope this helps!

cheers,

Marj