The Society for General Microbiology has announced the full launch of Microbial Genomics (MGen), the Society's first fully open access journal that incorporates an open data policy. MGen publishes peer-reviewed articles that use genomic approaches to further our understanding of microbiology. The Society is waiving all article processing charges for the journal's first year.
MGen is the Society's first journal to feature a double-blind peer review policy, meaning that the name, institution and submitting country of all authors is hidden from peer reviewers, and vice versa. Genomics is a relatively new field with many early-career researchers, so this policy ensures that the journal focuses on high-quality science rather than reputation.
By implementing a mandatory open data policy and partnering with the online data repository, figshare, MGen will allow all deposited data to be accessible to researchers across the globe, via the published article. Researchers can also use the Society's figshare portal to discover data published in the journal.
The journal's first article presents the use of genomic SELEX screening in Escherichia coli to discover a new role for a key regulator.
The journal will be publishing a regular feature called Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, which will highlight influential researchers and pioneering papers that have shaped the field of microbial genomics. The first article highlights the research of Professor Stanley Falkow, considered by many as the father of molecular microbial pathogenesis.
The journal's international Editorial Board is led by Professor Nicholas Thomson and Professor Stephen Bentley, both from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK.
