Journal profile · Immunology and Microbiology-Immunology
HLA
ISSN 2059-2302 · eISSN 2059-2310 · Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd · UNITED STATES
HLA: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.89; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,780; median 16 days to acceptance (155 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 81% (journal website); 560 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
HLA is published by Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are T-cell and B-cell Immunology, Immune Cell Function and Interaction and Immunotherapy and Immune Responses, together about 78.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Immunology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
HLA publishes full-length original articles, brief communications, commentaries and reviews covering all aspects of genetic control of immunity. The scope includes functional, biochemical, and genetic studies on molecules of the immune system, including cell surface receptors and their ligands, and encompassing cytokines, and chemokines, adhesion and co-stimulating molecules, antigen receptors such as TcR, NKR, CD1, PAMPs, Igs, KIR, and genes and products of the major histocompatibility complex including classical and non-classical HLA molecules. Papers should describe original research in vitro, or in animal models, or be clinical studies reflecting genetics of immunity in solid organ or haematopoietic cell transplantation, autoimmunity, infectious immunity, allergy, tumour immunity, vaccine science, pregnancy and disease susceptibility. The journal emphasis is on understanding genetic control of immunity through: Immunogenomics including gene organisation, phylogeny, evolution, regulation, polymorphism particularly where it affects expression and function, population genetics, gene markers (e.g. microsatellites and SNPs) and typing applications or methodology. Protein or antigen expression and biochemistry of immunologically important molecules including post-translational regulation, cell surface expression, isoforms, serology, tissue expression, cell lineage relationships particularly defined by leucocyte differentiation antigens, cell activation and differentiation markers, myeloid and lymphoid cell surface antigens, platelet antigens, thymic markers and non-lineage cell surface molecules. Structure and function of molecules that control immune responses including cell surface molecules and their ligands, adhesion molecules, cytokines, chemokines, antigen receptors such as TcR, immunoglobulins, NKR, Toll-like receptors, HLA, KIR, CD1, MICA/B, PAMPs, Complement and other immune effector molecules. Modulation of immune responses by pathogens such as decoy receptors, cytokine analogs and inhibitors of apoptosis or other cellular functions. Immunogenetic tools including new genes, sequences, mAbs, polymorphism databases particularly HLA alleles, population data, HLA-peptide repertoires in health and disease, definition of minor histocompatibility antigens, allelic variants, gene maps and bioinformatics.Review articles, Commentaries, Brief communications and People in Immunogenetics. Review articles (maximum 12 printed pages) on recent developments in area
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Immunology and Microbiology-Immunology
Editor-in-chief Steven GEPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 3%); most named United States 16, United Kingdom 10, Germany 7, Netherlands 6, Australia 4 (65 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- T-cell and B-cell ImmunologyImmunology and Microbiology31.1%
- Immune Cell Function and InteractionImmunology and Microbiology29.6%
- Immunotherapy and Immune ResponsesImmunology and Microbiology17.7%
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approachesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.9%
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies ResearchMedicine2.6%
- Renal Transplantation Outcomes and TreatmentsMedicine2.2%
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune DisordersImmunology and Microbiology1.9%
- Reproductive System and PregnancyImmunology and Microbiology1.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Pathology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Pathology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Pathology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEPubMedEmbaseCASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: EBSCO
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 4.89LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.27LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.17LetPub ·
- h-index
- 93LetPub ·
- h-index
- 36OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 233OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.24OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 42%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 27.46%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 250LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 515Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 235,922Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,277 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 482 | 241 | 306 |
| 2025 | 560 | 220 | 1,206 |
| 2024 | 495 | 236 | 1,928 |
| 2023 | 384 | 221 | 1,417 |
| 2022 | 441 | 60 | 1,601 |
| 2021 | 363 | 44 | 1,696 |
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 Crossref · to
16 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 7 days – 28 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 9 days (159 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 26 days
- Sample
- 155 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,111 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
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 81%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 81%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 11 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 4,780 / EUR 3,980 / GBP 3,190 | — | — |
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 prepare2 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 2,500 words
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- brief communicationDescription Encouraged for brief reports describing MHC peptide motifs and studies of monoclonal antibodies and disease susceptibility. Content Limit 10 printed…main text ≤ 120 words · abstract ≤ 120 words
- commentaryCommentary - focused and opinionated articles on important and timely issues, no original data Headings: Introduction, Discussion, ConclusionsWord limit: 2500 w…main text ≤ 2,500 words
- editorialEditorialLength not stated
- letters to the editorDescription A letter generally commenting on a previously published article sent to the journal to raise a point of interest, discuss a difference of opinion or…Length not stated
- original articleDescription Full length paper reporting original research Content Limit N/A Abstract / Structure Abstract: unstructured, 250 words containing the major keywords…main text ≤ 250 words · abstract ≤ 250 words
- research articleResearch ArticleLength not stated
- review articleDescription Generally invited in areas covered by the journal or concerning recent topical developments. Content Limit 12 printed pages Abstract / Structure Abs…main text ≤ 250 words · abstract ≤ 250 words
- review articlesReview articles Description Generally invited in areas covered by the journal or concerning recent topical developments. Content Limit 12 printed pages Abstract…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteConflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- Conflicts of interest Conflict of Interest Statement
The journal requires that all authors disclose any potential sources of conflict of interest. Any interest or relationship, financial or otherwise that might be perceived as influencing an author's objectivity is considered a potential source of conflict of interest. These must be disclosed when directly relevant or directly related to the work that the authors describe in their manuscript. The ex…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright
Copyright & licensing: standard copyright agreement or Open Access under a Creative Commons license; journal uses CC-BY/CC-BY-NC/CC-BY-NC-ND. Model summary
Copyright & Licensing You may choose to publish under the terms of the journal's standard copyright agreement, or Open Access under the terms of a Creative Commons License. Standard re-use and licensing rights vary by journal. Note that certain funders mandate a particular type of CC license be used. This journal uses the CC-BY/CC-BY-NC/CC-BY-NC-ND Creative Commons License.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open Access with HLA
Online OpenOnline Open is available to authors of primary research articles who wish to make their article available to non-subscribers on publication, or whose funding agency requires grantees to archive the final version of their article. For further information click here.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review 1. Submission and Peer Review Process
Continuous publication model: articles publish into an online issue with final citations as soon as ready; no issue curation or pagination. Model summary
Once the submission materials have been prepared in accordance with the Author Guidelines, manuscripts should be submitted online at https://authors.wiley.com/journal/TAN For help with submissions, please contact: HLA@wiley.com This journal does not charge submission fees.Article Preparation Support Wiley Editing Services offers expert help with English Language Editing, as well as translation, ma…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints
Preprint policy: journal accepts articles previously published on preprint servers; submitted versions may be posted to preprint servers at any time; pre-publication versions should be updated with a link to the final published article. Model summary
Preprint policy: Please find the Wiley preprint policy here. This journal accepts articles previously published on preprint servers. HLA will consider for review articles previously available as preprints. You may also post the submitted version of a manuscript to a preprint server at any time. You are requested to update any pre-publication versions with a link to the final published article.
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
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2059-2302
- Electronic ISSN
- 2059-2310
- Society / sponsor
- European Federation for Immunogenetics
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 108, Issue 3 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about HLA
What CAS zone is HLA in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, HLA is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Pathology / Cell Biology / Immunology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of HLA?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.89; CiteScore 2.8, h-index 36.
How long does peer review take at HLA?
Based on the dates recorded on 155 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 16 days (interquartile range 7–28 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 81% (2025). 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 HLA?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 2,500 words. 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 HLA based?
Of the 65 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (16), United Kingdom (10) and Germany (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index HLA?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, HLA is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is HLA open access, and what is the APC?
HLA is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,780.
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: .