Journal profile · Endocrinology & Metabolism
Free Radical Biology and Medicine
ISSN 0891-5849 · eISSN 1873-4596 · Elsevier Inc. · UNITED STATES · Semimonthly · Founded 1987
Free Radical Biology and Medicine: CAS Zone 2 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 7.99; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,240; median 93 days to acceptance (97 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 1,277 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Free Radical Biology and Medicine is published by Elsevier Inc. and is in Zone 2 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects, Redox biology and oxidative stress and Mitochondrial Function and Pathology, together about 23.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Molecular Biology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine is the premier forum for publishing ground-breaking research in the redox biology of both health and disease. We focus on signal transduction and redox signaling; oxidative stress; reductive stress; redox stress; nitrosative stress; aging and age-related diseases; redox biology in skeletal and cardiac muscle, exercise science, and sports medicine; metabolic regulation and metabolic diseases; mitochondrial function and signaling; homeostatic mechanisms and adaptive responses; redox chemistry and mechanisms; materials and nanomaterials; non-thermal plasmas; microorganisms, fungi, plants, insects, animals, and humans; and antioxidant enzymes, pathways, and networks.The journal welcomes both full-length and short Research Communications, Hypothesis Papers, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Graphical Reviews, and Critical Methods Papers. As of September 1, 2026, Free Radical Biology and Medicine no longer accepts unsolicited review articles. Authors who have not received an invitation but who are interested in submitting a review must first send a proposal for consideration by the Managing Reviews Editor, Professor Giovanni Mann ([email protected]). The proposal must be one single PDF and include cover letter; title page; abstract; graphical abstract; outline of the review article, with subheadings; tentative table of contents; and a list of key references. Visit our Guide for Authors to find out more.Free Radical Biology and Medicine is the official journal of the Society for Redox Biology and Medicine and the Society for Free Radical Research-Europe, and affiliate journal of the International Society for Free Radical Research (SFRRI)
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editor-in-chief Kelvin J. A.Publisher website
Editorial board by country: 15 in mainland China (about 11%); most named United States 34, United Kingdom 16, Mainland China 15, Japan 15, Italy 7 (131 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Nitric Oxide and Endothelin EffectsMedicine8.5%
- Redox biology and oxidative stressBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology8%
- Mitochondrial Function and PathologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.3%
- Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stressBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6%
- Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressMedicine5.2%
- Neutrophil, Myeloperoxidase and Oxidative MechanismsImmunology and Microbiology5%
- Free Radicals and AntioxidantsChemistry5%
- Electron Spin Resonance StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 7.99LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 13.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 13.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.11LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.59LetPub ·
- h-index
- 239LetPub ·
- h-index
- 380OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 11,743OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.87OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 27.24%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 622LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 27,841 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 999 | 265 | 439 |
| 2025 | 1,277 | 285 | 4,130 |
| 2024 | 1,002 | 279 | 8,121 |
| 2023 | 1,067 | 224 | 9,640 |
| 2022 | 1,137 | 213 | 15,598 |
| 2021 | 932 | 240 | 20,198 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
93 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 65 days – 131 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (97 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 97 days
- Sample
- 97 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,472 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 26 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 65 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,240 / EUR 3,970 / GBP 3,390 / JPY 525,890 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,690 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 2,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted9, with length limits
- graphical reviewsThese reviews summarize schematically key concepts, established and novel ideas in redox biology which will be accessible to a broad audience and freely downloa…Length not stated
- hypothesis papersHypothesis Papers provide a mechanism for authors to advance new ideas, hypotheses, or theories.Length not stated
- mini-review articlesMini-reviews are succinct, focused updates of the literature related to a question of current interest in the scientific community (typically from the last 2-3 …Length not stated
- research articlesOriginal articles are the normal medium of publication.Length not stated
- reviewhed reviews on the same theme. Although Reviews are not of any fixed length, they are usually 16,320 words in length (excluding references and figure legends), …main text ≤ 16,320 words
- review articleA well-illustrated review article is easier to read and offers greater value where illustrations or infographics can replace many words. Reviews (full-length) s…main text ≤ 16,320 words · abstract ≤ 200 words · references ≤ 250
- review articlesReviews (full-length) should provide a comprehensive analysis on topics of broad interest to the journal's readership.Length not stated
- short communicationpportive information where appropriate. Short Communications These concise research articles have a maximum length of 2,000 words excluding graphical abstract, …main text ≤ 2,000 words
- short communicationsThese concise research articles have a maximum length of 2,000 words excluding graphical abstract, highlights, references, abstract and figure legends with a ma…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Peer review policy: single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing policy Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0891-5849
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-4596
- Society / sponsor
- Society for Redox Biology and Medicine and the Society for Free Radical Research-Europe
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Free Radical Biology and Medicine
What CAS zone is Free Radical Biology and Medicine in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Free Radical Biology and Medicine is in Zone 2 of Biology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Endocrinology & Metabolism; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Free Radical Biology and Medicine?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.99; CiteScore 13.2, h-index 380.
How long does peer review take at Free Radical Biology and Medicine?
Based on the dates recorded on 97 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 93 days (interquartile range 65–131 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Free Radical Biology and Medicine?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 2,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Free Radical Biology and Medicine based?
Of the 131 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 15 (about 11%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (34), United Kingdom (16) and Mainland China (15). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Free Radical Biology and Medicine?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Free Radical Biology and Medicine is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Free Radical Biology and Medicine open access, and what is the APC?
Free Radical Biology and Medicine is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,240.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .