Scientific publisher Nature Publishing Group (NPG) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have announced a new online-only open-access journal, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes. Leading NTU's effort in this new initiative is its Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), a national research institute that aims to harness the powers of micro-organisms for environmental and water sustainability. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes is one of the first three journals to launch as part of the 'Nature Partner Journal' series.
The editorial team will be led by Editor- in-Chief Staffan Normark, permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Professor of Medical Microbiology at Karolinska Institutet.
Launching in Q2 2014, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes will promote biofilm research across a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. The journal will establish a platform for cross-disciplinary discussions and allow for the understanding of the biology and ecology of biofilm populations and communities, as well as applications so derived across medical, environmental and engineering domains.
The Nature Partner Journals bring Nature’s reputation for impact and excellence to open access and publishing partnerships. The Nature Partner Journals are characterized by landmark partnerships with institutions, foundations and academic societies.
Nature Partner Journals feature a modified set of Nature editorial standards, with rigorous requirements for the training and appointment of Editors-in-Chief and continuous assessment of editorial quality against agreed key performance indicators.
NPG, with strategic partner Frontiers, have published 10,500 open access research papers in 2013, 51% of their combined research publication output for the year. All 63 NPG academic, society and partner publications have introduced open access options or are open access journals.
