What is bioRxiv? A Guide for New Researchers in Biology
As a new researcher in biology, you’ve probably come across the term bioRxiv (pronounced “bio-archive”). It’s one of the most talked-about platforms in modern biology, but what exactly is it, and why is it so important in the world of scientific publishing?
In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to bioRxiv, discuss its history, current use, the pros and cons of using it as a researcher, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to submit your own manuscript. Whether you’re submitting your first paper or just curious about how researchers share their findings, this guide will give you the foundation you need.
What is bioRxiv?
bioRxiv is an open-access preprint repository for biology, where researchers can post their research manuscripts before they’ve been peer-reviewed or published in academic journals. This allows scientists to share their findings with the scientific community (and the world) almost immediately.
Launched in November 2013 by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), bioRxiv was created to accelerate the communication of new findings in biology, allowing researchers to rapidly disseminate results and get feedback from peers before formal publication.
You can explore bioRxiv’s preprints here.
A Brief History of bioRxiv
The concept of a preprint server for biology wasn’t new. bioRxiv was inspired by arXiv, a preprint server for physics, mathematics, and computer science that launched in 1991. The success of arXiv showed that preprints could play a significant role in accelerating research communication, especially in fields where speed is essential.
Despite the effectiveness of arXiv, biologists were slow to adopt preprints. Before bioRxiv, many in the biological community were concerned that sharing unreviewed work could lead to scooping or misinterpretation of results. However, in 2013, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory launched bioRxiv to serve life sciences researchers specifically, and the platform has grown significantly ever since.
Today, bioRxiv is widely used for various fields, including genomics, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, bioinformatics, and cell biology. It’s now considered one of the leading platforms for sharing early-stage biological research.
Current Usage of bioRxiv
bioRxiv has become a critical tool for biologists to share their research quickly and openly. Here’s how researchers are using it today:
- Preprint Submission:
- Researchers submit manuscripts to bioRxiv before they’ve been peer-reviewed. While the preprints are not peer-reviewed, bioRxiv staff screen them for scientific content and ensure that they meet basic standards for public dissemination.
- Rapid Dissemination:
- Once a manuscript is uploaded, it is freely available to the public within hours. This allows scientists to share their findings much faster than the traditional journal submission process, which can take months.
- Community Feedback:
- Preprints on bioRxiv often attract feedback from the broader scientific community. This can happen directly on bioRxiv, through platforms like PubPeer, or on social media. Feedback from the community can help authors refine their research before submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
- Journal Submission:
- Many journals now accept manuscripts that have been posted as preprints on bioRxiv. In fact, bioRxiv has integrated direct submission to some journals, allowing authors to submit their preprint directly to journals that encourage or accept preprints. Learn more about journals that accept bioRxiv preprints here.
- COVID-19 Impact:
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, bioRxiv became an essential hub for sharing SARS-CoV-2 research. The platform, along with its sister site medRxiv (for medical research), allowed researchers to rapidly disseminate crucial findings related to the virus, treatments, and vaccines. This accelerated the global research response to the pandemic.
Pros of Using bioRxiv
Rapid Dissemination: You can share your research with the global scientific community within hours, establishing priority for your findings months before formal publication.
Free and Open Access: All bioRxiv preprints are freely accessible to anyone. This promotes open science and ensures that researchers from around the world, regardless of institutional access, can view your work.
Community Feedback: Submitting a preprint allows you to get early feedback from the scientific community, which can help refine your manuscript before journal submission.
Credit and Visibility: By posting a preprint, you can establish precedence and gain visibility for your research. Preprints are indexed by Google Scholar, making them discoverable and citable.
Journal Integration: bioRxiv is integrated with many major journals, allowing you to submit preprints directly to a peer-reviewed journal without needing to re-upload the manuscript.
Transparency: Preprints promote transparency by making research publicly available for discussion, even before formal peer review.
Cons of Using bioRxiv
No Peer Review: Preprints are not peer-reviewed, which means that the results have not undergone formal scrutiny. As a result, there is a risk of errors or incorrect interpretations being shared.
Potential for Misinformation: Since preprints are not vetted in the same way as peer-reviewed papers, they can sometimes spread misinformation if taken out of context, especially if covered by the media.
Reputation Concerns: Some researchers, especially those in more traditional fields, may be concerned that publishing unreviewed work could harm their reputation or be seen as less credible.
Media Misuse: There’s a risk that journalists or the general public might misinterpret or overhype preprints, leading to misinformation, especially in fields like health and medicine.
Journals That Don’t Accept Preprints: While many journals now accept preprints, some still have policies against considering work that has already been posted publicly.
How to Submit a Preprint to bioRxiv
Submitting a manuscript to bioRxiv is straightforward, and the platform is designed to make the process user-friendly. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Prepare Your Manuscript:
- Before submitting, ensure that your manuscript is complete and formatted according to bioRxiv’s guidelines. This includes having all sections (abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion) in place. Figures and tables should be embedded in the manuscript.
- Create an Account:
- Go to the bioRxiv website and create an account: Create bioRxiv Account. If you already have an account, log in.
- Start a New Submission:
- Once logged in, navigate to the “Submit a Preprint” section. This will guide you through the submission process, where you’ll provide details about your manuscript, such as the title, abstract, and authors.
- Upload Your Manuscript:
- Upload your manuscript file in PDF format, along with any supplementary materials such as data, figures, or videos. bioRxiv allows the use of standard text processing formats (Word or LaTeX) to create the manuscript.
- Select a Subject Category:
- Choose the subject area that best fits your manuscript (e.g., genomics, bioinformatics, neuroscience).
- Author Agreement:
- You’ll need to agree to bioRxiv’s author agreement, confirming that you have the right to share the work and that it complies with the ethical standards of your field.
- Screening and Posting:
- After submission, bioRxiv will screen your manuscript for scientific content. This is not a peer review but ensures that the manuscript adheres to bioRxiv’s policies. The manuscript is then posted on the bioRxiv site within a few hours.
For more details on the submission process, you can visit bioRxiv’s official guide: bioRxiv Submission Guide.
Conclusion
bioRxiv has revolutionized the way biology researchers share their findings. For many, it’s become a standard part of the research process—an early step before formal peer review. The platform’s ability to provide rapid dissemination, feedback, and visibility makes it especially valuable for researchers in fast-moving fields like genomics, bioinformatics, and molecular biology.
However, it’s important to understand both the benefits and limitations. Preprints are a great way to get your work out quickly, but they lack the validation of peer review. If you’re ready to join the growing global community of researchers using bioRxiv, consider submitting your next manuscript as a preprint!