Aims and scope
An Open Access Future
Rapid-Review Track
Microbe Profiles
Microbial Primers
Indexing and metrics
Information for authors
Contact us
Aims and scope
As the founding journal from the Microbiology Society, Microbiology brings together communities of scientists from all microbiological disciplines and from around the world. Originally Journal of General Microbiology, we have been publishing the latest advances in microbiology since 1947. Today the journal reflects the diversity and importance of microbiology in addressing current global challenges, such as food security, environmental sustainability, and health, by publishing fundamental and applied research across the breadth of the field.
Microbiology publishes high-quality original research and reviews on bacteria, fungi, yeast, protists, archaea, algae, parasites, phages and other microscopic life forms.
Key topic areas include, but are not limited to:
Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance
This topic area covers research in the field of the characterisation of the impact and mode-of-action of new and existing antimicrobials against pathogenic microbes. In addition, the section covers research into the resistance mechanisms against antimicrobials, including their evolution in bacterial populations and spread through horizontal gene transfer tolerance through biofilm formation.
Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology
This topic area encompasses the application and engineering of microbes, development of tools that enable genetic manipulation and studies that enhance or optimize production of compounds by microbes. Examples include establishing genetic methods in new model systems, engineering and optimizing new functionalities in microbes, using microbes to convert waste products into more valuable compounds, and discovery of new pathways in microbes that could yield new applications or enhance established applications.
Ecology and Microbiomes
This topic area welcomes submissions in the broad area of microbial ecology, including microbiome and biofilm studies. We are interested in studies in a range of contexts (environmental, clinical, lab model systems), where there is a primary focus on ecological questions. We similarly welcome ecology focused studies across a range of approaches (theory, observational, experimental, bioinformatic). Ecological questions of interest span scales from behavioral through to population, community and ecosystem ecology.
Microbial Cell Surfaces
The cell surface is the interface for microbial communication with the outside world, essential for the survival of free-living, symbiotic, and pathogenic microbes and an important target for antimicrobials. This topic area welcomes submissions related to cell envelope biosynthesis, cell envelope stress, protein secretion and small molecule transport and signalling pathways that span the cell surface. We also welcome manuscripts describing molecules that disrupt cell envelope biosynthesis.
Microbial Evolution
This topic area includes studies of microbial evolution at all scales from molecules to populations. Topics covered include studies of adaptation, evolutionary dynamics, diversification, and horizontal gene transfer. Approaches taken include experimental evolution, comparative studies, theoretical modelling, and DNA sequence analysis.
Microbial Infection, Virulence and Pathogenesis
This topic area encourages submissions from studies that enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of pathogenesis caused by bacteria, fungi and parasites. We welcome research papers applying novel approaches to study microbial infections and that identify and characterise microbial virulence factors during in vitro growth, in biofilms and in infections.
Microbial Physiology, Biochemistry and Metabolism
This topic area encompasses submissions on all aspects of microbial physiology, including, but not limited to; the cellular response to stress, cell growth and division, nutrient assimilation (including catabolic and anabolic central and secondary metabolism), DNA replication and the maintenance of genome integrity, and transcription and translation. We particularly welcome submissions that integrate 'omics methodologies with molecular biological or biochemical analyses, and encourage submissions addressing microbiology from across the tree of life. Studies introducing or deploying new methodologies, or employing modelling and computational analyses, are also welcome.
Regulation, Sensing and Signalling
This topic area covers research related to sensory and gene regulatory pathways and mechanisms. This includes control of gene expression from the genome to the molecular scale, in response to extracellular or intracellular stimuli, and how these stimuli are perceived and turned into transmitted signals. Topics can include, but are not limited to, stress responses, metabolic status, nutrient availability, cellular differentiation, microbe-microbe or host-microbe interactions, and second-messenger signalling.
An Open Access Future
From 2023, the Microbiology Society's founding journal Microbiology transformed to fully Open Access (OA) – the first of our journals to move from a hybrid to a fully OA model.
Choosing to publish OA with the Society can not only increase your opportunities for global impact and reach, but also supports us in providing activities, grants and events for international microbiologists.
Submit now to increase your impact, expand your reach, and support your community.
Find out more about the transformation here.
Rapid-Review Track
We are happy to consider manuscripts that have previously been under full review at selective journals for our rapid review track. If you wish to explore this option, please contact the most appropriate Senior Editor by e-mail. For the rapid review track we will require a copy of your original manuscript along with the unedited, anonymised peer reviews and decision letter, and a rebuttal explaining how you would address the reviewers’ comments.
Manuscripts considered for the rapid review track will be examined by the Senior Editor team and a decision as to whether your manuscript will proceed with this track will be made within five working days. A formal decision regarding your manuscript will be returned within a further five working days.
Microbe Profiles
Microbiology publishes Microbe Profiles on key microbes across the field of microbiology. These are concise, review-type articles that provide overviews of the classification, structure and properties of novel microbes, making them an excellent resource for education or reference. All Microbe Profiles are written by leading microbiologists and invited by the Microbe Profiles Editor. If you would be interested in submitting a Microbe Profile, please contact the Microbe Profiles Editor.
The Profiles published so far can be found in our Microbe Profile collection.
Microbial Primers
Microbiology publishes Microbial Primers, short articles designed to simplify and illuminate intricate microbiological concepts. Each article provides an overview of the fundamental points of a specific subject, making them an excellent resource for both early career microbiologists or established researchers looking to become familiar with a new field.
All Microbial Primers are written by leading microbiologists and invited by the Microbial Primers Editor. If you would be interested in submitting a Microbial Primer, please contact the Microbial Primers Editor.
The Primers published so far can be found in our Microbial Primer collection.
Indexing and metrics
Microbiology is indexed in Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS Previews, CAB Abstracts, Current Contents – Life Sciences, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences, Current Opinion series, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, SciSearch, and SCOPUS, as well as on Google Scholar, ensuring maximum discoverability of published research.
Visit our Impact and metrics page to learn more about the metrics for Microbiology.Information for authors
For more information about submitting to Microbiology, please see our Article types, Prepare an article and Submission and peer review pages.
Microbiology is a Gold Open Access journal. Microbiology Society journals offer two routes for Gold Open Access publishing: Publish and Read and Article Processing Charges. More information can be found on our Open Access costs page.
Contact us
Email the journal Editorial Office at [email protected]
For the sales and marketing team, please contact [email protected]
Social media:
Twitter – @MicrobioSoc
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By phone:
Call +44 (0)20 3034 4870
By post or in person:
Microbiology Society
14–16 Meredith Street
London
EC1R 0AB
United Kingdom