BioMagnetic Research and Technology: a new online journal

Magnetism represents an interesting phenomenon that has attracted human attention for many years. Nowadays, magnetism is the basic principle of many devices, procedures and technologies. However, only relatively recently this phenomenon has also found really important applications in various areas of biosciences and biotechnologies.

There are not so many examples of real magnetic structures connected with living beings. Nanoparticles composed of magnetic iron oxides have been found in magnetotactic bacteria, some animals and plants. However, majority of structures found in living organisms are diamagnetic. Magnetic techniques used in biosciences and biotechnology are thus predominantly based on magnetic labelling of otherwise diamagnetic molecules, cell organelles or cells. Magnetic field itself, as well as magnetic nano- and microstructures can influence specific physiological functions of living beings under certain conditions.

Biomagnetic techniques have already been used in different areas of natural sciences such as molecular and cell biology, medicine, biochemistry, analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, clinical diagnostics, virology, microbiology, parasitology, immunology, biotechnology, environmental technology and some others. Nowadays, there is no publication forum available to cover the entire area of biomagnetic research and technology. Papers in this area can be found in hundreds of journals, starting (in alphabetical order) with Abdominal Imaging and ending with Zhurnal Mikrobiologii, Epidemiologii i Immunobiologii.

In this context, we are proud to introduce BioMagnetic Research and Technology http://www.biomagres.com/start.asp, a new on-line forum for cutting-edge findings in this multidisciplinary area of research.

As already written on the WWW pages of BioMagnetic Research and Technology, this journal is intended as a forum for the disclosure and discussion of the entire spectrum of biomagnetic research and technology. The journal will encourage greater interaction between basic and applied research, as well as cooperation between various scientific disciplines.

The journal will accept papers on all aspects of biomagnetic research and technology. The following areas, however, are of special interest:

• biological, medical, environmental and related systems and processes involving magnetic nano- and micro structures, and paramagnetic molecules

• the effects of magnetic fields to biosystems

• construction of magnetic biocompatible, biodegradable and biomimetic systems

• application of basic biomagnetic research in biosciences, biotechnology, environmental technology and related areas

Our new journal will bring several benefits both to the readers and authors. The papers published in BioMagnetic Research and Technology will be freely accessible to everybody on the journal WWW page http://www.biomagres.com/start.asp free of charge. The journal is indexed in PubMed, a well-known on-line medical database, and the papers will be permanently archived in PubMed Central http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov, the National Institute of Health's repository for biomedical research articles. The manuscripts will be submitted and manipulated electronically, saving thus manipulation delays. There is no limitation as to the article length, number of colour figures etc., and supplementary or documentary data can be included in the article. Due to the speed of publication, there will be no loss of priority of the published results.

As mentioned above, BioMagnetic Research and Technology is cost-free for the readers, but, unfortunately, it is not cost-free for the authors. The publishers administration and maintaining the computational facilities require substantial cost. Therefore there is a flat $500 charge for each article accepted. However, BioMagnetic Research and Technology has been granted a moratorium for the first six months. In addition, Editors are allowed to grant a waiver for a limited number of authors from disadvantaged countries. We would also like to inform the future authors that it is possible for their Institutions to become partners of BioMed Central under very reasonable conditions, leading to the possibility of all the Institutes researchers to publish free of charge in all the journals published by BioMed Central http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/about/instmembership.

Our aim is to increase the scientific value of BioMagnetic Research and Technology. In cooperation with BioMed Central we will look for the possibility to index our journal also in other databases such as Web of Science, Chemical Abstracts, Biological Abstracts etc. After an appropriate period, Institute for Scientific Information will be asked to evaluate our journal and, if possible, to add it to the list of scientific journals with Impact Factor. These attempts will, of course, require the active participation of the authors to submit their high quality papers to this journal, and to cite the papers published in BioMagnetic Research and Technology in manuscripts submitted to other journals.

As Editors-in-Chief, and on behalf of the journal Editorial Board, we welcome all the future authors and readers to participate in our activity. BioMagnetic Research and Technology is now the fastest way how to publish results of your high quality research in various areas of biomagnetic research and technology, enabling almost unlimited access to your results by your colleagues and partners.