eLife – a researcher-led, open-access journal for life and biomedical science

Mark Patterson Managing Executive Editor, eLife Play (22min) Download: MP4 | MP3

In June 2011, three of the world’s leading research funding agencies announced plans to launch a top-tier, open-access research journal covering the life and biomedical sciences. The key priorities of eLife are to establish a swift and decisive editorial process and to explore ways in which digital media can be used to maximum effect in the communication of new research. eLife therefore represents a direct effort by funding agencies to accelerate the transformation of research communication so that it is adapted to digital media, and reflects the view that the communication of research results is an integral part of research itself. Editorial responsibility for eLife resides with a community of active researchers who are committed to providing an outstanding and constructive editorial service to authors. Longer term, the goal is for the eLife project to be a catalyst for innovation in research communication.