Why Publish Your Research with Molecular Biology and Evolution?

Evolution is the fundamental biological process, and it is essential for understanding life in a changing world. MBE is fully Open Access and publishes fresh insights into the patterns and processes that impact the evolution of life at molecular levels, across a full breadth of taxonomy, genomic organization, functions, forms, and phenotypes. MBE publishes Discoveries, Methods, Resources, and Protocols to provide our community with cutting edge evolutionary research tools that enable discovery, while our Reviews and Perspectives present syntheses to inspire new directions in evolutionary thought.

MBE is owned by the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE) and published by Oxford University Press (OUP).

Why publish in MBE?

• We are a society owned journal, with the backing and global reach of a vast community of molecular and evolutionary biology experts.

• All of MBE’s editors are established research scientists, reflecting the backing and global reach of a vast community of molecular and evolutionary biology experts.

• MBE is fully open access and thus compliant with funder, institutional, and national mandates that require publication in an open access journal.

• We are published by Oxford University Press, a not-for-profit organization.  Your article processing charges (APCs) help support conferences, symposia and other initiatives organized by the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

• We have a generous and inclusive waiver policy for those unable to pay the APCs. Read here to find out how to apply for waivers.

• We are committed to equitable and ethical publishing and follow the COPE guidelines.

Highly ranked

Molecular Biology and Evolution has a 2022 Impact Factor of 10.7 and is ranked in the top quartile of all Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Evolutionary Biology, and Genetics & Heredity journals. MBE has consistently ranked in the top of those categories.

Manuscript transfer

Molecular Biology and Evolution's editors are pleased to provide a manuscript transfer service to Genome Biology and Evolution (GBE), which is also published by the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE). Manuscripts which have received external peer reviews in MBE and are deemed suitable for GBE's scope are eligible for transfer, meaning authors do not have to reformat or resubmit their paper and associated metadata.

Open access

Molecular Biology and Evolution is fully Open Access providing greater accessibility for researchers and readers across the globe. Learn more about the open access licenses available at OUP. 

In addition to the waivers provided by the journal, OUP has a growing number of Read and Publish agreements with institutions and consortia that provide funding for OA publishing. This means that authors from participating institutions can publish OA, and the institution will pay the APC charge. Find out if your institution is participating in a Read and Publish agreement.

Waivers will be granted to scientists working in developing countries as part of OUP's Developing Countries Initiative.

SMBE members are entitled to a 10% discount on publication fees. 

Fast track

Manuscripts receiving the highest enthusiasm from MBE’s reviewers and editors are fast tracked for publication. Upon their final acceptance these papers will be published online within one week and appear in the next scheduled issue of the journal. This policy reflects the journal’s intention to quickly publish all manuscripts judged to be the most innovative and impactful during the peer review process.

Community focused

MBE publishes a diverse range of valuable resources for use across the fields of molecular and evolutionary biology. These resources typically present significant updates of software tools and databases that have already proven to be critical enabling technologies for molecular evolutionary studies, or introduce new resources that can help provide the scientific community with cutting edge evolutionary research tools that enable discovery.

Distinguished and diverse Editorial Board

Members of the Editorial Board of Molecular Biology and Evolution are recruited and appointed based on their expertise in the field and to provide geographic and demographic balance. They ensure that the journal publishes high-quality content, operates ethically, and provides a welcoming publishing outlet for authors from all backgrounds and at all stages of career. 

Ready to submit? 

Please refer to our instructions to authors for more information and our submission site if you are ready to submit.