Product Overview: BioMed Central
BioMed Central (BMC) is a pioneering open access science publisher that has revolutionized the way scientific research is disseminated and accessed. Founded in 2000, BMC is now part of Springer Nature, one of the largest scientific, technical, and medical (STM) publishers globally.
What BioMed Central Does
BioMed Central publishes over 290 peer-reviewed open access journals across a broad spectrum of fields, including biology, clinical medicine, and health. This extensive portfolio ensures that high-quality research is made freely accessible online immediately upon publication, promoting transparency, collaboration, and the advancement of scientific knowledge.
Key Features
- Open Access Publishing: All journals published by BMC are available online only and follow an open access model, allowing researchers and the public to access scientific articles without subscription barriers.
- Peer-Reviewed Journals: BMC journals undergo rigorous peer review to ensure the academic quality and integrity of the published research. This includes flagship journals such as BMC Biology, BMC Medicine, Genome Biology, and Genome Medicine.
- Article Processing Charges (APCs): To sustain its operations, BMC introduced APCs in 2002, which have become the primary source of revenue. This model allows authors or their institutions to pay for the publication of their articles, ensuring that readers do not face any access fees.
- BMC Series: The BMC Series comprises several dozen online research journals covering all major subject areas within biology and medicine. These journals include BMC Research Notes for scientifically valid but non-full research articles and BMC Proceedings for conference proceedings.
- Additional Resources: BMC hosts various biomedical databases, such as the ISRCTN registry for clinical trials, and provides access to supplementary materials including videos and images. Although some databases like the Biology Image Library and Cases Database were closed in 2014, the platform continues to evolve.
- User-Friendly Platform: The BMC website offers a mobile-optimized experience, alert services to keep users updated on the latest research, and a print-on-demand service for selected content. This ensures that users can find and access content efficiently across various devices.
- Global Reach: With over 500 member institutions and editorial board members, as well as authors from around the world, BMC has established itself as a global scientific publisher. This global presence facilitates international collaboration and the dissemination of research on a broad scale.
Functionality
- Immediate Access: All original research articles are made freely accessible online immediately upon publication, facilitating rapid dissemination and use of scientific information.
- High Visibility: BMC journals are among the best in their fields, with many having high impact factors. For example, BMC Biology had the highest impact factor among BMC journals as of 2016.
- Community Support: Researchers who publish with BMC are supported by experts, ensuring their work is seen and cited widely within the scientific community.
- Open Science Initiatives: BMC is committed to the broader movement towards open science, which includes the free availability of underlying data, further enhancing transparency and collaboration in scientific research.
In summary, BioMed Central is a leading open access publisher that has transformed the landscape of scientific publishing by providing immediate, free access to high-quality research, supporting global scientific collaboration, and promoting the principles of open science.