ACS Chemical Biology: Scope, Metrics & Guide

ACS Chemical Biology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Chemical Society (ACS Publications). Dedicated to elucidating cellular and molecular processes through chemical approaches, the journal serves as a core venue for research operating at the interface of chemistry and biology.

What It Is

Established to bridge molecular synthesis, physical chemical principles, and biological discovery, ACS Chemical Biology publishes original research investigating complex biological phenomena using rigorous chemical methods. The journal operates under Editor-in-Chief Chuan He (University of Chicago) and an international editorial advisory board spanning chemical genetics, synthetic biology, structural biochemistry, and biophysical probe development.

The journal provides a forum for mechanistic discoveries that apply chemical probes, engineered macromolecular assemblies, and quantitative physical approaches to cellular pathways in vitro, in cell culture, and across organismal model systems.

Who Runs It and What It Covers

ACS Chemical Biology is published by the American Chemical Society, headquartered in Washington, DC. The journal is indexed for MEDLINE by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM Unique ID: 101282906; ISO standard abbreviation: ACS Chem. Biol.) and cataloged in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science.

Editorial Scope and Subject Areas

The journal covers molecular studies probing biological questions across core domains:

• Proteins and Peptides: Engineered enzymes, post-translational modifications, chemical proteomics, and targeted protein degradation.
• Nucleic Acids: Chemical epigenetics, RNA modifications, and synthetic nucleic acid structures.
• Lipids and Glycans: Chemical glycobiology, membrane biophysics, and metabolic labeling tools.
• Small-Molecule Probes: Design, synthesis, and characterization of selective chemical probes and bio-orthogonal reactions.
• Synthetic Biomaterials: Synthetic polymers and hybrid constructs designed to probe cellular architecture.

Key Bibliometric Indicators

Bibliometric indicators published by ACS Publications and major indexing databases include:

• 2-Year Journal Impact Factor: 3.6 (Clarivate Journal Citation Reports).
• 5-Year Journal Impact Factor: 3.8.
• Scopus CiteScore: 6.9.
• Total Citations: Over 17,000 recorded citations.
• ISSN: Print 1554-8929; Electronic 1554-8937.
• Publishing Model: Hybrid journal offering subscription publishing with zero author fees, or Gold Open Access via Article Processing Charges (APCs) and institutional Read and Publish agreements.

Authors evaluating where to submit may review broader ACS journal impact factor rankings and indexing coverage to evaluate journal tier placement.

Manuscript Formats and Criteria

The journal considers three primary research formats:

• Articles: Full-length reports describing comprehensive molecular studies. Articles typically feature up to 6,500 words, up to 12 published pages, an abstract of ~250 words, up to 8 display items, and up to 50 references.
• Letters: Rapid communications of an individual breakthrough. Letters are restricted to 5 or fewer pages, under 4,000 words, up to 4 display items, and ~30 references.
• Reviews and Perspectives: Syntheses and forward-looking evaluations addressing emerging concepts or technological breakthroughs.

All submissions require a standalone Table of Contents summary meeting official graphical abstract requirements, capturing the core molecular mechanism for visual browsing.

How to Search or Use It

Researchers submitting an original manuscript or accessing journal content interface directly with ACS Publications platforms.

How to Browse and Discover Research

1. Access Journal Portal: Visit the official homepage on the ACS Publications platform (pubs.acs.org/journal/acbcct).
2. Search by Keyword or DOI: Query specific molecular targets, chemical probe names, or DOIs.
3. Filter by Manuscript Type: Refine results by Articles, Letters, or Reviews.
4. Inspect Supporting Information: Download supplementary chemical characterization data, NMR spectra, and experimental procedures linked under the Supporting Info tab of each article.

Step-by-Step Manuscript Submission via ACS Publishing Center

Manuscript submission is managed exclusively through the ACS Publishing Center (publish.acs.org):

1. Sign In to ACS Publishing Center: Log in with an ACS ID and ensure the profile links to an authenticated ORCID iD.
2. Initiate Submission: Select “Start New Submission” from the author dashboard and choose ACS Chemical Biology from the journal catalog.
3. Upload Documents: Upload the primary manuscript file (DOCX or LaTeX), separate high-resolution image files, supporting information files, and the mandatory Table of Contents graphic.
4. Enter Authors and Affiliations: Input all co-authors in publication order with institutional affiliations, departmental addresses, and valid email addresses. Designate the corresponding author.
5. Provide Manuscript Details: Supply the title, abstract conforming to the 250-word cap, and 8 to 10 descriptive index keywords representing probes, targets, and methods.
6. Complete Declarations and Funding: Complete conflict of interest disclosures and enter funding sources using the Funder Registry tool to automate open science compliance.
7. Review and Submit: Inspect the generated PDF proof. Confirm that all embedded equations, structures, and citations adhere to rigorous peer-reviewed reference standards before submitting.

ACS Publications permits pre-publication posting; authors may deposit drafts on preprint servers prior to acceptance. To compare preprint repositories, consult the guide on ChemRxiv vs. bioRxiv preprint comparison.

Strengths and Limits

Evaluating ACS Chemical Biology requires weighing its editorial profile against research objectives.

Journal Strengths

• Rigorous Chemical Validation: The journal insists on thorough compound characterization, probe selectivity data, and analytical verification (NMR, HRMS).
• ACS Dissemination and Archiving: Direct association with the American Chemical Society provides worldwide indexing, archiving across Portico and PubMed Central, and wide library access.
• Flexible Publishing Paths: Authors can publish without cost via subscription or select Gold Open Access under Creative Commons licensing.
• Rapid Letters Format: The concise Letters option allows priority disclosure of novel chemical probes or reaction methodologies.

Publishing Limits

• Strict Molecular Focus: Descriptive biological studies lacking chemical tools, and synthetic methodology papers lacking biological relevance, are excluded.
• Specialized Citation Tier: With an Impact Factor of 3.6, the journal serves a specialized disciplinary audience rather than broad general-science readers.
• Strict Length Limits: Page and display item caps on Letters require concise presentation.

Alternatives

Researchers evaluating publishing venues at the chemistry-biology interface can compare key attributes across leading journals:

Journal	Publisher	2-Year Impact Factor	Editorial Focus	Primary Formats	Submission Portal
ACS Chemical Biology	American Chemical Society	3.6	Mechanistic molecular studies, in vitro and cellular probe assays, biopolymers	Articles, Letters, Reviews	ACS Publishing Center
Cell Chemical Biology	Cell Press (Elsevier)	~8.0–9.0	Cellular mechanisms, chemical genetics, target validation, translational pathways	Articles, Resources, Reviews	Editorial Manager
Nature Chemical Biology	Nature Portfolio	~13.5–15.0	Broad multidisciplinary breakthroughs, transformative tools, high novelty	Articles, Brief Communications	Springer Nature Portal
ACS Synthetic Biology	American Chemical Society	~3.5–4.0	Synthetic genetic circuits, metabolic engineering, gene networks	Articles, Letters, Technical Notes	ACS Publishing Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the impact factor of chemical biology Letters?

Chemical Biology Letters (ISSN 2347-9825) is an independent open access journal published by ScienceIn Publishing, indexed in Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and Scopus. It is distinct from the Letters manuscript format published in ACS Chemical Biology, which shares the official ACS Chemical Biology 2-Year Journal Impact Factor of 3.6.

What is ACS analytical chemistry?

Within ACS Publications, this refers to the journal Analytical Chemistry or the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry. While ACS Chemical Biology focuses on probing biological mechanisms with chemical tools, Analytical Chemistry specializes in measurement science, sensors, and separation methods. Authors developing instrumentation or separation workflows can explore analytical chemistry research methods to determine journal fit.

Which course is best for biology and chemistry?

Students targeting research at the interface of biology and chemistry benefit most from an integrated Chemical Biology or Biochemistry curriculum. Key coursework includes Advanced Organic Chemistry (reaction mechanisms and bio-conjugation), Physical Biochemistry (thermodynamics and enzyme kinetics), Molecular Biology (gene regulation and cellular pathways), and Instrumental Analysis (mass spectrometry and NMR). Laboratory training in protein expression and synthetic probe characterization provides direct research preparation.

How do I submit a manuscript to ACS Synthetic Biology?

To submit a manuscript to ACS Synthetic Biology, authors use the unified ACS Publishing Center (publish.acs.org). After logging in with an ACS ID, select “Start New Submission”, choose ACS Synthetic Biology, upload the manuscript, graphical abstract, and supporting files, enter co-author and funder information, and approve the generated PDF proof.

Sources

• ACS Publications: ACS Chemical Biology Journal Overview and Metrics — Official scope, bibliometric indicators, editorial board, and publication policies.
• NCBI NLM Catalog: ACS Chemical Biology (NLM ID 101282906) — Catalog record, MEDLINE indexing status, and title abbreviations.
• ACS Publishing Center Author Guidelines — Manuscript preparation requirements, TOC graphic specifications, and submission system workflow.