Nature Communications
The journal Nature Communications launched in 2010 as a multidisciplinary, online-only publication from the Nature Portfolio. Lesley Anson served as the founding editor-in-chief to guide its initial direction. Joerg Heber took over editorial leadership after her tenure concluded. Magdalena Skipper followed Heber and steered the journal through subsequent years. Elisa De Ranieri currently holds the position of editor-in-chief. The team includes specialized editors for distinct fields such as Nathalie Le Bot for health and clinical sciences. Stephane Larochelle manages biological sciences submissions while Enda Bergin oversees chemistry and biotechnology. Prabhjot Saini directs operations for physics and earth sciences.
Starting October 2014, the journal only accepted submissions from authors willing to pay an article processing charge. Until the end of 2015, part of the published submissions remained available only to subscribers. This hybrid model created barriers for readers without institutional access. In January 2016, all content became freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The shift marked a complete transition from subscription-based availability to full open access status. Authors now face mandatory fees but their work reaches a global audience immediately upon publication.
According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2024 impact factor of 15.7. This metric reflects the average number of citations received per paper published in the journal over the preceding two years. High citation counts indicate strong influence within the scientific community. The journal is abstracted and indexed in major databases used by researchers worldwide. These indexing services ensure that articles appear in standard literature searches conducted by universities and laboratories. The high impact factor distinguishes it among other multidisciplinary science journals.
In 2017, the creation of three subjournals under the Communications brand was announced. Communications Biology, Communications Chemistry, and Communications Physics launched as specialized outlets for specific disciplines. Several additional Communications journals were established in the following years including Communications Materials in 2020. Communications Earth & Environment arrived in 2020 while Communications Medicine followed in 2021. Communications Engineering and Communications Psychology both began operations in 2022. These open-access journals offer lower publication fees than Nature Communications due to their more specialist remits. Manuscripts rejected by Nature Publishing Group journals can transfer with reviewer reports via an automated service. Authors may also choose to request a fresh review at these new venues.
The journal maintains editorial offices in London, Berlin, New York City, and Shanghai. This geographic spread allows editors to manage submissions from diverse regions efficiently. Staff members in each location handle the peer-review process for incoming manuscripts. The physical presence across four continents supports the journal's international scope. Operations in London coordinate global strategy while regional teams focus on local scientific communities. The distributed structure enables faster processing times for authors submitting from different time zones.
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Common questions
When did Nature Communications launch and who was the founding editor-in-chief?
Nature Communications launched in 2010 as a multidisciplinary online-only publication from the Nature Portfolio. Lesley Anson served as the founding editor-in-chief to guide its initial direction.
Who is the current editor-in-chief of Nature Communications and when did they take over?
Elisa De Ranieri currently holds the position of editor-in-chief at Nature Communications. She followed Joerg Heber and Magdalena Skipper in the editorial leadership succession.
What year did Nature Communications transition to full open access status?
In January 2016 all content became freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection. This shift marked a complete transition from subscription-based availability to full open access status for the journal.
What is the 2024 impact factor of Nature Communications according to Journal Citation Reports?
According to the Journal Citation Reports the journal has a 2024 impact factor of 15.7. This metric reflects the average number of citations received per paper published in the journal over the preceding two years.
Which specialized journals were established under the Communications brand starting in 2017?
Communications Biology Communications Chemistry and Communications Physics launched as specialized outlets for specific disciplines in 2017. Additional journals including Communications Materials arrived in 2020 while Communications Medicine began operations in 2021.