Preprinting Microbiology
Overview
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The field of microbiology has experienced significant growth due to transformative advances in technology and the influx of scientists driven by a curiosity to understand how microbes sustain myriad biochemical processes that maintain Earth. With this explosion in scientific output, a significant bottleneck has been the ability to rapidly disseminate new knowledge to peers and the public. Preprints have emerged as a tool that a growing number of microbiologists are using to overcome this bottleneck. Posting preprints can help to transparently recruit a more diverse pool of reviewers prior to submitting to a journal for formal peer review. Although the use of preprints is still limited in the biological sciences, early indications are that preprints are a robust tool that can complement and enhance peer-reviewed publications. As publishing moves to embrace advances in Internet technology, there are many opportunities for preprints and peer-reviewed journals to coexist in the same ecosystem.
Grand challenge in biosafety and biosecurity.
Morse S Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025; 12():1538723.
PMID: 39840137 PMC: 11747209. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1538723.
The use and acceptability of preprints in health and social care settings: A scoping review.
Blatch-Jones A, Recio Saucedo A, Giddins B PLoS One. 2023; 18(9):e0291627.
PMID: 37713422 PMC: 10503772. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291627.
Biosecurity in an age of open science.
Smith J, Sandbrink J PLoS Biol. 2022; 20(4):e3001600.
PMID: 35421093 PMC: 9009689. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001600.
Rapid Proliferation of Pandemic Research: Implications for Dual-Use Risks.
Musunuri S, Sandbrink J, Teperowski Monrad J, Palmer M, Koblentz G mBio. 2021; 12(5):e0186421.
PMID: 34663091 PMC: 8524337. DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01864-21.
Tracking the popularity and outcomes of all bioRxiv preprints.
Abdill R, Blekhman R Elife. 2019; 8.
PMID: 31017570 PMC: 6510536. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.45133.