PLOS Pathogens announces a refreshed journal scope statement.

PLOS Pathogens is delighted to announce that we have refreshed our journal scope statement to reflect the growing and changing fields that are included in our community.

What’s new?

In addition to the fields we have always served, the updated statement explicitly welcomes submissions in the areas of the microbiome and pathogen interactions, clinical studies, and studies using primarily computational methods. Emerging topics and early observations that are of urgent importance or represent a dramatic step forward in understanding are also encouraged, placing an emphasis on discovery regardless of the length of the submission. The common thread underlying the journal’s scope remains our mission to significantly advance the understanding of pathogens, their biology, and how they interact with their host organisms.

PLOS Pathogens is first and foremost a community journal and as such the decision to expand the scope was informed by our community of editors who are also working scientists. After hearing feedback from each of our sections individually throughout the year we held a virtual Section Editor Summit in the fall of 2021 to discuss the refreshed scope, and were energized by the opportunity to engage with our contributors in new and exciting ways in 2022 and beyond.

Here’s what our Editors-in-Chief have to say about the updated statement:

PLOS Pathogens has always sought to be at the forefront of research drawing from diverse areas of expertise with a common goal to inform pathogen biology and host-pathogen interactions in the broadest possible way. The refreshed scope statement is not meant to be a departure from those roots, but rather an exciting opportunity to grow with the communities we serve. The last two years have demonstrated the importance of being able to adapt to new challenges and we feel PLOS Pathogens is well positioned to continue to evolve and improve with changing circumstances.

Kasturi Haldar, PLOS Pathogens co-Editor-in-Chief
Michael Malim, PLOS Pathogens co-Editor-in-Chair

We hope that you will take a moment to read through the updated statement and browse through some of examples of recently published clinical, microbiome and computational studies that we’ve included below.  We are excited to receive submissions reflecting our expanded scope and to continue to grow with the pathogens community!

Some Examples of Recent Publications Within Our Expanded Scope Areas:

• Pearls: The Microbiome Collection
• Evolution of the interactions between GII.4 noroviruses and histo-blood group antigens: Insights from experimental and computational studies
• PfSPZ-CVac efficacy against malaria increases from 0% to 75% when administered in the absence of erythrocyte stage parasitemia: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial with controlled human malaria infection
• Nonsterile immunity to cryptosporidiosis in infants is associated with mucosal IgA against the sporozoite and protection from malnutrition