Journal of Cell Science

Journal of Cell Science
Title	Journal of Cell Science
Discipline	Cell biology
Abbreviation	J. Cell Sci.
Publisher	The Company of Biologists
Country	United Kingdom
History	1853–present
Frequency	Monthly
Impact	5.2
Issn	0021-9533

Journal of Cell Science is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in Cell biology, Molecular biology, Developmental biology, Biophysics, and Cellular physiology. Founded in the 19th century and published by The Company of Biologists, it has been associated with major institutions such as University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Max Planck Society. The journal has published work from researchers linked to Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

History

The journal traces origins to 19th-century scientific publishing traditions involving figures from Royal Society and Royal Institution. Early contributors were connected to institutions including University College London, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Basel University Hospital. Throughout the 20th century, articles cited laboratories at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cavendish Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Karolinska Institute, and Johns Hopkins University. Major historical milestones involved editorial initiatives influenced by funders like Wellcome Trust, policy discussions involving Research Councils UK, and the modernization of peer review practices after interactions with Committee on Publication Ethics and Association of American Publishers.

Scope and Editorial Policy

The journal's scope spans experimental studies from groups at Salk Institute, Scripps Research, ETH Zurich, University of California, San Francisco, and Imperial College London. Typical submissions report on techniques used in laboratories such as Barnett House-affiliated microscopy centers, facilities comparable to European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and consortia like Human Cell Atlas. Editorial policies have been shaped by guidance from Committee on Publication Ethics, funding mandates from Wellcome Trust and Gates Foundation, and institutional repositories at PubMed Central-linked partners. The peer review process involves academic editors drawn from departments at Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Tokyo, and Peking University.

Publication and Access

As a monthly periodical, the journal operates on publishing platforms similar to those used by Oxford University Press, Wiley-Blackwell, and Springer Nature. Distribution networks encompass libraries at British Library, Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine, and university systems such as University of Chicago Library. The publisher has implemented open access options reflecting policies from Plan S signatories and funders like Wellcome Trust and European Research Council. Archiving strategies coordinate with repositories such as Portico and national archives including British Library.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major databases and services that also include titles from Clarivate Analytics, Scopus operated by Elsevier, PubMed operated by National Library of Medicine, and catalogues maintained by WorldCat. Bibliometric data are compiled alongside lists from Journal Citation Reports and aggregators used by Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and institutional assessment frameworks such as those employed by Research Excellence Framework panels.

Notable Articles and Impact

The journal has published landmark studies from laboratories associated with Rudolf Virchow-era institutions, modern breakthroughs from teams at Francis Crick Institute, and cellular signaling work from groups at European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Influential articles have had citation trajectories tracked by Web of Science, discussed in reviews from Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, and referenced in textbooks from publishers such as Garland Science and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. The journal's impact has been acknowledged in institutional metrics at Imperial College London, grant evaluations by Wellcome Trust, and award citations including Lasker Award-winning research groups.

Editors-in-Chief and Editorial Board

Editors-in-chief and editorial board members have included scholars affiliated with University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Karolinska Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Duke University School of Medicine. The board collaborates with advisory panels drawn from organizations like Royal Society, European Molecular Biology Organization, American Society for Cell Biology, and funders including Wellcome Trust and National Science Foundation.

Category:Biology journals Category:Academic journals established in 1853