RSC Chemical Biology
Exceptionally significant findings in chemical biology.
Editor-in-Chief: Hiroaki Suga
Publishing model: Gold open access
Led by Hiroaki Suga, RSC Chemical Biology is a journal dedicated to publishing significant findings from the broadly understood chemical biology community. It provides a publication platform for communities of chemists who are developing chemical tools to resolve biological questions and biologists who explore the mechanisms and manipulate biological processes at the molecular level. The journal is gold open access so there are no barriers to accessing content and the research reaches a truly international audience.
Scope
We welcome contributions from across the breadth of the chemical biology field. This includes research on the development of new chemical and biological techniques and tools that comprise but are not limited to:
- Analytical methods (including sensing, imaging, spectroscopy, omics)
- Bioorthogonal chemistry
- Biosynthesis, biomimetics and bioengineering
- Chemical synthesis and synthetic biology
- Directed evolution
- Drugs and small molecules (including prodrugs)
- Glycoscience
- Lipids
- Natural products
- Nucleic acids (including DNA, RNA, mRNA and siRNA, modifications and gene delivery)
- Peptides
- Phenotypic screening
- Proteins (including protein-protein interactions, modifications, structure and function)
We are particularly interested in reports on the application of chemical tools to probe, explore and visualise biological systems and processes to provide insights into molecular mechanisms in health and disease. These include but are not limited to:
- biochemistry, metabolism, and physiology
- cancer biology
- immunology and immunomodulation
- neuromodulation
- transcription/gene regulation
- mechanism of disease and therapeutics
- signalling pathways
- virology and microbiology
- natural product biosynthesis
- systems biology
We also encourage translational research that bridges chemistry and chemical biology to medicine.
Computational studies must significantly advance chemical biology. Studies using established methods should present original predictions, validated by new experimental data. Novel computational methodologies must demonstrate relevance through direct comparison with experimental results. Studies lacking clear experimental connections or practical utility that meaningfully advances the field are unsuitable for RSC Chemical Biology.
Journal Impact Factor
3.9 (2025)
First decision time (all)
24 days
First decision time (peer reviewed)
38 days
Indexing
eISSN: 2633-0679
Indexed in: Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science ESCI
Publish in this journal
We encourage authors to review the information below and read our author guidelines before submitting their manuscript.
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This journal charges an APC of £2,200.
You may be able to publish open access in this journal, with no APC to pay, if your institution has an open access agreement with us. You can use our Journal Finder to find out if your institution has an agreement and which journals are included.
Read more about payments and funding for information on APCs, discounts, waivers, and open access agreements.
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RSC Chemical Biology publishes:
- Communications
- Full papers
- Reviews & Perspectives
- Comments
Read the author guidelines for more information on article types and how to prepare your article for submission.
Find guidance on our publishing process, editorial policies and the responsibilities of authors and reviewers throughout the publication process.
- Our publishing process and editorial policies, including our initial assessment of submissions, our journal transfer service and the publication of accepted manuscripts.
- Our guidance for authors on their responsibilities and the code of conduct they should follow when submitting to our journals.
- Our guidance for reviewers on the procedure and requirements to assess manuscripts submitted to our journals.
Author guidelines
Our author guidelines explain how to prepare and submit your article and provide useful information on the review and publication process including transfers, revisions and any article processing charges (APCs) that may apply.
Meet the team
Meet the people supporting this journal, including its leadership, editors, advisors, and the editorial office.
Contact the editorial office
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Calls for papers
Any open calls for papers for this journal are shown below. All submissions to our open calls will undergo an initial assessment by the journal editors and subsequent peer review as per the usual policies of RSC journals.
Bioorthogonal chemistry for illuminating life processes
RSC Chemical Biology
Call for papers
Closing date: 30 September 2026
Epigenetics and epitranscriptomics
RSC Chemical Biology
Call for papers
Closing date: 30 September 2026
Prizes and recognition
RSC Chemical Biology Outstanding Paper Award
Recognising some of the outstanding work published in the journal, as well as the authors behind those articles.
Prize
RSC Chemical Biology Outstanding Early Career Research Award
Recognising the dedication, innovation, and impactful research endeavours of promising early career researchers.
Prize
RSC Chemical Biology outstanding reviewers
Recognising outstanding peer reviewers.
More from the RSC
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We offer grants to support travel, events, outreach and research, personal support and guidance
Research and innovation
The likely future of where chemistry’s greatest contributions will be – as well as the regulatory and funding environments needed to achieve them.