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

[Gordon Fletcher <Gordon@biomedcentral.com>]

Press Release: 17 May 2001
For Immediate Release

Contact: Gordon Fletcher
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7323 0323
E-mail: gordon@biomedcentral.com

New Journal Launch
Title: Journal of Biology
Editor in Chief: Martin Raff
Website: http://www.jbiol.com
Publisher: BioMed Central
Format: online and print

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

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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)