Journal decision profile

RSC Chemical Biology

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine

RSC Chemical Biology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 2.4, ranking Q3 in Molecular Biology. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

Royal Society of ChemistryUnited KingdompISSN 2633-0679eISSN 2633-0679
Checking system sharing availability.Visit homepage

Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
2.4

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 2.48.

Review & acceptance time
i
Review & acceptance timeCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED
78 daysmedian

Middle 50%: 51–117 days

100 of 100 PubMed-indexed articles · 100% coverage · 2024–2025

RSC Chemical Biology accepts papers a median of 78 days after submission, including peer review and revisions. That is faster than 52% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$1,962

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

Free preview · no sign-in

Does your manuscript fit RSC Chemical Biology?

Paste your title to see which of this journal's published topics it overlaps with. Your title stays in your browser for this preview and is not sent anywhere.

Want ranked journals with fit reasons, risks and a submission strategy instead? See a sample AI report.

At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iSubmission-to-acceptanceCalendar days from the received date to the accepted date in recent PubMed records. This includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not the time to first decision and not pure peer-review time. The radar uses a 0–100 cohort percentile with shorter observed timing plotted farther out; it does not measure review quality.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
2.42026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#117 / 405LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
10.3%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
0.86MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
78 daysIQR 51–117 DAYS
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
155 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share10.3%

64 of 620 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share1.1%

7 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI0.86×

Below field-year expectation

Source output rank#117

of 405 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 0.86, so its typical recent paper runs about 14% below its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

10.3% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2019–2025

12019
742020
1642021
1562022
1432023
1572024
2172025

Recent work-type mix

620 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article75%
Paratext23.2%
Erratum1.6%
Supplementary materials0.2%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and research coverage

OpenAlex topics show the research communities this journal serves.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies39
Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques22
Click Chemistry and Applications22
Chemical Synthesis and Analysis20
RNA modifications and cancer19
RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms18
DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry15
Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research14
Protein Degradation and Inhibitors14
Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research13
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-08-12. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 620 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
Molecular BiologyQ3

Is RSC Chemical Biology a good journal?

A mid-ranked Q3 journal by citation data

By citation data, RSC Chemical Biology is a mid-ranked journal: it is Q3 in Molecular Biology, the third quarter of journals by score, below the subfield median, and ranks #452 of 877 Chemistry journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 52%). RSC Chemical Biology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 2.4. Recent papers took a median of 78 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $1,962 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Molecular Biology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q3
Molecular Biology
Rank in Chemistry
#452 of 877
Top 52%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
2.4
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Submission to acceptance
78 days
Median, PubMed records
Open access fee (APC)
$1,962
OpenAlex, verify with the journal
Papers published in 2025
217
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the current article processing charge, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website; the OpenAlex figure is indicative.
  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q3
Subfield Quartile
N/A
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#452
of 877 Chemistry field journals
#3
among Q3 Chemistry journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

RSC journals compared

2026 Journal Metrics Scores for all 8 RSC journals published by Royal Society of Chemistry, highest score first. Each journal is scored separately; there is no combined score for the RSC family.

  1. RSC Advances6.8Q1
  2. RSC Sustainability6.8Q1
  3. RSC Pharmaceutics5.7Q1
  4. RSC Applied Polymers4.1Q1
  5. RSC Medicinal Chemistry4.1Q1
  6. RSC Applied Interfaces3.6Q2
  7. RSC Mechanochemistry3.2Q2
  8. RSC Chemical Biologythis journal2.4Q3

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
1,068
H-Index
43
Fully Open Access
Yes
Recent OA Works
1,065
Subject Areas
Molecular BiologyOrganic ChemistryPharmacology

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to RSC Chemical Biology

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies RSC Chemical Biology's papers in subfields including Molecular Biology. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    RSC Chemical Biology homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit through ScholarOne Manuscripts

    Royal Society of Chemistry journals take submissions through ScholarOne Manuscripts, linked from each journal's submit page.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $1,962 USD for this open-access journal. Check the current fee, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Recent accepted papers took a median of 78 days from submission to acceptance, including revisions (PubMed dates). RSC Chemical Biology does not publish an acceptance rate.

Submission system from the publisher's author information, checked 2026-10-27. Individual journals can differ, so follow the link in the journal's own author guidelines.

New on PubMed

What's new in your field?

Type a topic to see the newest PubMed papers from the past week and the big picture of what they found, summarized by Claude on the Pro plan. Get a free weekly email to keep up.

See a demo:GLP-1CRISPRLong COVID

Reviewer Two · coming soon

Know what reviewers will say before you submit to RSC Chemical Biology

An AI pre-submission report on your manuscript: the objections a tough reviewer is likely to raise, desk-rejection risks, and better-fit journals from our data. $29 per report.

See what the report covers

Common questions about RSC Chemical Biology

Is RSC Chemical Biology a good journal?

By citation data, RSC Chemical Biology is a mid-ranked journal: it is Q3 in Molecular Biology, the third quarter of journals by score, below the subfield median, and ranks #452 of 877 Chemistry journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 52%). RSC Chemical Biology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 2.4. Recent papers took a median of 78 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $1,962 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Molecular Biology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is RSC Chemical Biology's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

RSC Chemical Biology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 2.4, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of RSC Chemical Biology?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by RSC Chemical Biology or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. What recent PubMed records do show is speed: accepted papers took a median of 78 days from submission to acceptance. To judge selectivity, compare RSC Chemical Biology's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is RSC Chemical Biology in?

RSC Chemical Biology's best quartile is Q3. By OpenAlex subfield: Q3 in Molecular Biology. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for RSC Chemical Biology will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How long does RSC Chemical Biology take to accept a paper?

RSC Chemical Biology accepts papers a median of 78 days after submission across 100 recent PubMed records with both dates; the middle half took 51–117 days. This includes peer review, editorial handling, and revisions.

How long is the peer review time at RSC Chemical Biology?

PubMed records when a manuscript was received and accepted, not the individual review stages, so peer review time on its own is not available. The full time from submission to acceptance at RSC Chemical Biology, which includes peer review and revisions, has a median of 78 days. For the time to a first decision, check the journal's own website.

Is RSC Chemical Biology faster than similar journals?

RSC Chemical Biology's median of 78 days from submission to acceptance is faster than 52% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

How much does it cost to publish in RSC Chemical Biology?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $1,962 USD for RSC Chemical Biology. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to RSC Chemical Biology?

Comparable journals include Chembiochem, Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Nucleic Acids Research, and Nature Chemical Biology. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to RSC Chemical Biology?

Royal Society of Chemistry journals take submissions through ScholarOne Manuscripts, linked from each journal's submit page. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter. Accepted papers took a median of 78 days from submission to acceptance in recent PubMed records.

Cite an article from this journal
Back to Search