Journal profile · Biochemical Research Methods
Nature Protocols
ISSN 1754-2189 · eISSN 1750-2799 · Springer Nature · ENGLAND · Quarterly · Founded 2006
Nature Protocols: CAS Zone 2 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 18.37; subscription journal; median 255 days to acceptance (92 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 188 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Nature Protocols is published by Springer Nature 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 CRISPR and Genetic Engineering, RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms and Pluripotent Stem Cells Research, together about 23.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Molecular Biology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Nature Protocols provides in-depth coverage of new techniques and technologies, as well as established methods, used in all fields of the biological, chemical and clinical sciences. The journal predominantly publishes Protocols (including Protocol Updates and Protocol Extensions), but also techniques-related Reviews, Perspectives, Correspondences, Matters Arising, Commentaries, and Consensus Statements - all of which are based on published primary research papers. Nature Protocols is part of the Nature Reviews portfolio of journals. To learn more about Nature Reviews, check out this animation and the Nature Reviews page. You can also find a summary of the editorial input and checks here.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Biochemical Research Methods
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United Kingdom 10, Germany 3, United States 1, India 1, Italy 1 (17 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- CRISPR and Genetic EngineeringBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology9.4%
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanismsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.4%
- Pluripotent Stem Cells ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.6%
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniquesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.2%
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomicsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5%
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy TechniquesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.7%
- Advanced Proteomics Techniques and ApplicationsChemistry4.2%
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and ApplicationsChemistry4%
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 | Biochemical Research Methods | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: yes
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemical Research Methods | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemical Research Methods | Zone 1 |
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
- 18.37LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 31.3LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 7.4LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 4.13LetPub ·
- h-index
- 206LetPub ·
- h-index
- 395OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,530OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 20.42OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 3.54%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 170LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,020 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 155 | 38 | 183 |
| 2025 | 188 | 70 | 1,865 |
| 2024 | 165 | 68 | 8,327 |
| 2023 | 147 | 67 | 6,847 |
| 2022 | 146 | 80 | 13,464 |
| 2021 | 198 | 114 | 16,927 |
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
255 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 199 days – 345 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 70 days (92 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 341 days
- Sample
- 92 articles with submission and acceptance dates (385 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)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
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
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
No source has fee information yet; check the journal's website.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 2006
- ISSN
- 1754-2189
- Electronic ISSN
- 1750-2799
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Nature Protocols
What CAS zone is Nature Protocols in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Nature Protocols is in Zone 2 of Biology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Biochemical Research Methods; 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 Nature Protocols?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 18.37; CiteScore 31.3, h-index 395.
How long does peer review take at Nature Protocols?
Based on the dates recorded on 92 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 255 days (interquartile range 199–345 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Nature Protocols based?
Of the 17 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (10), Germany (3) and United States (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Nature Protocols?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Nature Protocols is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Nature Protocols open access, and what is the APC?
Nature Protocols is a subscription journal. Fee information is not available yet; check the journal's website.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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: .