Top 10 Cell Biology Journals In The World 2026

1. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology

Molecular cell biology is a marriage of two distinct, yet complementary, disciplines. In its traditional sense, the term 'molecular biology' refers to study of the macromolecules essential to life — nucleic acids and proteins. The field of cell biology is a natural extension of this, integrating what we know at the molecular level into an understanding of processes and interactions at the cellular level. Only by combining both fields can we paint a broad picture of essential biological processes such more...

2. Nature Methods

Nature Methods is a forum for the publication of novel methods and significant improvements to tried-and-tested basic research techniques in the life sciences. This monthly publication is aimed at a broad, interdisciplinary audience of academic and industry researchers actively involved in laboratory practice. It provides researchers with new tools to conduct their research and places a strong emphasis on immediate practical relevance and potential to advance new biological application more...

3. Cell Research

Cell Research (CR) publishes original research results that are of unusual significance or broad conceptual or technical advances in all areas of life sciences, as long as the study is closely related to molecular and cell biology. The journal has an international authorship and a broad scope in basic research including: Cell growth, differentiation & apoptosis Signal transduction Stem cell biology & development Chromatin, epigenetics & transcription RNA biology Structural & molecular biology Cancer biology & metabolism Immunity & molecular pathogenesis Molecular more...

4. Cell Metabolism

Welcome and thank you for considering submitting your work to Cell Metabolism. Established in 2005, Cell Metabolism is the top research journal dedicated to publishing novel, impactful papers spanning basic to clinical metabolic research. We are interested in original research addressing the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological homeostasis and what goes awry in disease. The journal's mission is to provide the metabolic community a forum for the exchange of ideas and concepts and to promote cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. In line with this, we aim more...

5. Nature Cell Biology

Nature Cell Biology publishes papers of the highest quality from all areas of cell biology, encouraging those that shed light on the mechanisms underlying fundamental cell biological processes. The journal's scope is broad and specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Autophagy Cancer biology Cell adhesion and migration Cell cycle and growth Cell death Chromatin and epigenetics Cytoskeletal dynamics Developmental biology DNA replication and repair Mechanisms of human disease Mechanobiology Membrane traffic and dynamics Metabolism Nuclear organization and more...

6. Cell Stem Cell

Cell Stem Cell is a broad-spectrum journal that covers the entire spectrum of stem cell biology. Topics covered include embryonic stem cells, pluripotency, germline stem cells, tissue-specific stem cells, stem cell differentiation, epigenetics, stem cell genomics and systems biology, genome reprogramming, cancer stem cells, stem cell niches, stem-cell-based disease models, nuclear transfer technology, bioengineering, drug discovery, in vivo imaging of stem cells, therapeutic applications, regenerative medicine, clinical and translational insights, stem cell research policies, ethical issues, and technical or resource-based innovations. more...

7. Annual Review of Plant Biology

The Annual Review of Plant Biology, in publication since 1950, covers the significant developments in the field of plant biology, including biochemistry and biosynthesis, genetics, genomics and molecular biology, cell differentiation, tissue, organ and whole plant events, acclimation and adaptation, and methods and model organisms. more...

8. Nature Microbiology

As the most abundant living entities on our planet, microorganisms are fundamental to every aspect of life on Earth. Whether bacterial, viral, archaeal or eukaryotic in nature, microorganisms impact the dynamics and function of every niche in which they dwell, both host-associated and environmental. Their ubiquity combined with their diverse metabolic repertoire means that their activities are critical to processes with vast variation in scale: from driving global elemental biogeochemical cycles to modulating the function of a single cell. more...

9. Cell Discovery

Cell Discovery, published by Springer Nature in partnership with the Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), aims to provide an open access platform for scientists to publish their outstanding original works.  Cell Discovery publishes results of high significance and broad interest in all areas of molecular and cell biology, including (but not limited to) the following topics: Cell growth, differentiation & apoptosis Signal transduction Stem cell biology & development Chromatin, epigenetics & transcription RNA biology Structural & molecular biology Cancer biology & more...

10. Trends in Cell Biology

Trends in Cell Biology is among the leading review journals in molecular and cell biology. Review articles published each month monitor the breadth and depth of current research in cell biology, reporting on new developments as they happen and integrating methods, disciplines and principles. In addition to Reviews, Trends in Cell Biology publishes Opinion articles, which follow trends and provide innovative ideas to give insight into the implications of new developments and suggest future directions. All articles are commissioned from leading scientists and more...