Microbial Bioactives is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal committed to advancing microbiology by highlighting the roles of microorganisms and their products across medical, environmental, agricultural, industrial and biotechnological systems. The journal provides a platform for fundamental and applied research that expands scientific understanding and translates microbiological discoveries into practical applications.

Our editorial board comprises 24 editors and board members across nine countries, reflecting diverse expertise and global representation. Manuscripts undergo rigorous single-blind peer review managed by Section Editors and overseen by the Editor-in-Chief; detailed appeal procedures and reviewer guidelines ensure fairness and transparency.

The journal welcomes fundamental, translational and applied studies that are directly connected to microbial systems or the bioactive molecules they produce. We publish work across the spectrum of microbiology, including but not limited to:

• Discovery of microbial bioactives – isolation, structural elucidation and biosynthetic pathways of antimicrobial agents, enzymes, secondary metabolites and other biologically active molecules derived from bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses.
• Mechanisms and modes of action – molecular and cellular processes governing the production, regulation and activity of microbial bioactives, including resistance mechanisms and host responses.
• Therapeutic and industrial applications – development of microbial bioactives as therapeutics, probiotics, agrochemicals and biocontrol agents; bioprocessing and synthetic biology applications.
• Microbe–host and microbe–environment interactions – ecological and evolutionary dynamics of bioactive producers within communities, including microbiome-mediated effects on plant, animal and human health.
• Genetics, genomics and systems biology – omics-based insights, metabolic engineering and computational approaches that reveal biosynthetic potential or enable rational design of new compounds.

Studies that do not include a defined microbial component or lack direct relevance to bioactive compounds fall outside the scope of this journal.

Editorial Structure and Peer Review

Microbial Bioactives is managed by a diverse editorial board of more than twenty scholars based in nine countries/regions, led by Editor-in-Chief. Section Editors, Associate Editors and an Advisory Board support the Editor-in-Chief and ensure that submissions are evaluated by experts with appropriate disciplinary expertise. Editors and reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

All manuscripts undergo single-blind peer review. After an initial editorial assessment to ensure that a submission meets basic criteria (fit to scope, originality and relevance), 2–4 independent reviewers evaluate the scientific quality, methodology and significance of the work. The Section Editor and Editor-in-Chief make decisions based on the reviewers’ recommendations. The editorial office aims to provide a first decision within eight weeks. Authors may appeal editorial decisions; appeals are adjudicated by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with members of the Editorial Board.

Ethics and Research Integrity

We adhere to the highest standards of research integrity and publishing ethics. Microbial Bioactives follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). All submissions must comply with internationally recognised ethical requirements for research involving humans and animals, and must include appropriate statements on ethical approval and informed consent where applicable.

The journal maintains editorial independence; decisions to accept, revise or reject manuscripts are based solely on scientific merit and relevance. Instances of plagiarism, data fabrication or other forms of misconduct are investigated in accordance with COPE guidance, and corrections or retractions are issued when necessary.

Article Types and Publication Schedule

We publish a range of article types to facilitate the dissemination of microbiological research:

1. Original Research Articles – reports of novel findings supported by rigorous methodology and analysis.
2. Review Articles – critical evaluations of the literature that synthesise current knowledge and identify future directions.
3. Short Communications – brief reports of significant advances or preliminary findings.
4. Data Reports and Technical Notes – presentations of datasets or methodological innovations of value to the community.
5. Perspectives, Commentaries and Letters – scholarly opinions, discussions of emerging topics and constructive criticism.

Microbial Bioactives operates on a continuous publication model, ensuring rapid online availability of accepted articles. Special issues on timely themes may be organised in collaboration with guest editors.

Open Access and Dissemination

The journal is fully open access under a Creative Commons licence. All articles are freely available upon publication, and authors retain copyright to their work. We register Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for all publications and deposit metadata in Crossref to facilitate citation and discovery. The journal is indexed in Google Scholar and the Library of Congress, and is working toward inclusion in additional bibliographic services and the Web of Science Core Collection.

Audience and Impact

Microbial Bioactives serves an interdisciplinary audience of microbiologists, biochemists, geneticists, chemists, clinicians, pharmacologists, environmental scientists and biotechnologists. With more than 180 published articles and 380 citations to date, the journal is a growing venue for high-quality microbiology research. Our aim is to enhance the visibility and impact of work on microbial bioactive compounds by providing rapid, rigorous peer review and broad dissemination.

Identifiers & Indexing

• Online ISSN: 2209-2161. This unique identifier ensures that each article is persistently linked to the journal.
• Publication frequency: Continuous publication. Articles are published online as soon as they are ready, ensuring rapid dissemination. (Historically, issues have been released irregularly.)
• Journal officials: The journal is governed by an Editor-in-Chief and supported by Executive Editors, Associate Editors, Section Editors and Production Editors.
• Publisher: The journal is published by the Eman Research Academic (ERA) initiative of Eman Research Publishing.
• Abstracting & indexing: Microbial Bioactives is currently indexed in Google Scholar and the Library of Congress. We are actively expanding our presence in major bibliographic databases and citation services, with the goal of inclusion in the Web of Science Core Collection.

Contact and Submission

Submissions are accepted via our online submission system. Detailed author guidelines, including formatting requirements and policies on data availability, are available on the journal website. For editorial enquiries or pre-submission questions, please contact the editorial office at Handling Editor Email microbialbioactives@emanresearch.org