Journal of Applied Physiology

Journal of Applied Physiology
Title	Journal of Applied Physiology
Discipline	Physiology
Abbreviation	J. Appl. Physiol.
Publisher	American Physiological Society
Country	United States
Frequency	Monthly
History	1948–present
Impact	3.9 (example)

Journal of Applied Physiology is a peer-reviewed scientific periodical focused on experimental and translational research in human and animal physiology. The journal publishes original research, methods, and reviews addressing integrative and applied aspects of American Physiological Society, National Institutes of Health, NASA, United States Department of Defense, and other agencies' priorities. It serves clinicians and researchers associated with institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, University of California, San Francisco and international centers like University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.

History

Established in 1948, the journal emerged amid post-World War II expansions at organizations including National Academy of Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Rockefeller University. Early editorial leadership involved figures affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, reflecting connections to World War II medical research and subsequent Cold War biomedical initiatives such as those funded by Office of Naval Research and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Through the 1960s and 1970s it paralleled advances at Cornell University, Yale University, Columbia University, and international collaborations with Karolinska Institutet and McGill University.

Editorial policies evolved during milestones like the rise of evidence-based practice following conferences at Cochrane Collaboration-related meetings and regulatory shifts influenced by legislation such as the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act. Technological transitions tracked growth at laboratories in National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the spread of physiological techniques from Salk Institute-style labs to university hospitals. The journal adapted to digital publishing trends alongside peers such as The Lancet, Nature, and Science.

Scope and Content

The journal covers experimental physiology with applied emphasis tied to clinical and performance settings at centers like Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Mount Sinai Hospital, and research institutes such as Scripps Research. Topics include cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, metabolic, and exercise physiology with relevance to programs at American College of Sports Medicine, World Health Organization, and International Olympic Committee. Content types include original research, methodological papers, systematic reviews, and invited commentaries reflecting work from laboratories at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania, Imperial College London, and University of Toronto.

Manuscripts often intersect with fields represented by awards such as the Nobel Prize-associated work in physiology and medicine, translational initiatives supported by Wellcome Trust, and collaborative networks spanning European Research Council grants and clinical trials registered at bodies like ClinicalTrials.gov.

Editorial Structure and Peer Review

Governance is typically by an editorial board appointed by the American Physiological Society with an Editor-in-Chief drawn from institutions including University of Michigan, University of Washington, or Vanderbilt University. The peer-review process uses external reviewers from universities such as Duke University, University of Notre Dame, Rice University, and research centers like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Ethical oversight aligns with statements from organizations such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and adherence to policies influenced by rulings from courts such as Supreme Court of the United States in matters of research integrity.

Review models include single-blind, double-blind, and occasional open review pilot programs reflecting practices at journals like PLOS Medicine and BMJ. Editorial decisions consider statistical rigor, reproducibility standards promoted by institutions including National Science Foundation and Office of Research Integrity.

Publication and Access

The journal issues monthly volumes and is distributed via platforms used by publishers such as Oxford University Press and Elsevier while being owned by the American Physiological Society. Access models have ranged from subscription-based formats to hybrid open access options paralleling policies at Springer Nature and mandates from funders like Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Archiving and digital preservation coordinate with initiatives like PubMed Central and LOCKSS.

Subscriptions reach university libraries at Princeton University, University of Chicago, Brown University, and international consortia in the European Union institutions like European Commission-funded repositories. The journal participates in ethical licensing and copyright practices consistent with standards from Creative Commons and scholarly communication groups such as CrossRef.

Impact and Reception

Citations and impact metrics compare with specialty journals in physiology and interdisciplinary titles such as Circulation, Journal of Physiology, and American Journal of Physiology. Its readership includes investigators affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and international research bodies like Max Planck Society and CNRS. Reviews in commentary outlets and society meetings at venues such as Society for Neuroscience and American College of Sports Medicine conferences have noted the journal's role in translating bench discoveries to clinical and performance contexts.

Critiques have addressed issues common to academic publishing debated at forums like Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition and in reports by ResearchGate and Retraction Watch concerning reproducibility and transparency, prompting editorial updates.

Notable Articles and Contributions

The journal has published influential studies on exercise physiology, cardiovascular adaptation, respiratory control, and muscle metabolism from researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, University of Florida, University of British Columbia, and Monash University. Landmark contributions include methodological advances used in trials funded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, translational work informing guidelines by American Heart Association, and performance physiology studies cited by International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics). Some papers have been widely cited alongside classic works in journals such as New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Medicine.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major databases and services including PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and library catalogs at institutions like Library of Congress and British Library. Metadata and abstracts are discoverable through aggregators such as EBSCO, ProQuest, and platforms used by consortia led by OpenAIRE. It is listed in citation indices maintained by entities like Clarivate and appears in university repositories across institutions such as University of Melbourne and University of Sydney.

Category:Physiology journals