New open access journal set to challenge Nature, Science and Cell

Journal of Biology (http://www.jbiol.com) is a new international journal, published by BioMed Central, which provides immediate open access to research articles of exceptional interest. It will only publish research articles of the highest standard, similar to those published by Nature, Science or Cell. While these journals restrict access to only those who pay for a subscription, all research articles published in Journal of Biology will be permanently available free of charge and without restrictions, ensuring the widest possible dissemination of the work.

Free access to exceptional biological research is important, because each exceptional paper can have an enormous impact on research in a particular field. A move towards free and unrestricted access to such articles will improve both the pace of research and the ability of society at large to access and benefit from the results. Many scientists, academics and librarians vocally support a range of initiatives that actively campaign for fairer systems of scholarly communication, such as the Public Library of Science (http://www.publiclibraryofscience.org/), SPARC (http://www.arl.org/sparc/) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.soros.org/openaccess/).

“The Journal of Biology will provide the best service to authors and readers of the most important papers in the field. Each paper will be accompanied by reviews, commentaries and analyses which will help to explain the implications of the new findings and place them in their historical and scientific perspective.”
Peter Newmark, Editorial Director, BioMed Central

Journal of Biology has assembled an editorial board containing some of world’s most prestigious scientists (http://www.jbiol.com/advisory.asp), headed by Martin Raff, who was recently recognised by the Institute of Scientific Information as among the ten most cited Scientists in the UK. The board also includes the Nobel Prize winning biologists, Harold Varmus, Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein. Two very experienced ex-Nature editors are involved: Theodora Bloom, who was a biology editor at Nature and Peter Newmark, who was Deputy Editor of Nature. Both were also involved in the launch of Current Biology.

“It is a privilege to be involved with so many outstanding scientists in this effort to make important research freely available to the world.”
Martin Raff, Editor in Chief, Journal of Biology

The system of peer review for the articles is specifically designed to be fast, rigorous and fair. Accepted articles will be published online within two weeks.

The first print issues of Journal of Biology will be sent to 80,000 biological scientists free of charge, giving it the highest circulation to life science professionals of any research journal, including Nature, Science and Cell. The first issue of Journal of Biology is expected in June 2002.

For further information visit the website http://www.jbiol.com or contact Gordon Fletcher (gordon@biomedcentral.com)