It’s safe to say that a journal’s strength lies not only in the quality of its content, but also in the breadth and diversity of the community which supports it. Here, we introduce the six different editorial groups that are central to FEBS Open Bio’s success and provide an update on how each has grown in recent months.

Our Editorial Board consists of 48 editors, including professors, directors, and group leaders – all of whom are respected experts in their fields. Editors are responsible for handling manuscripts and upholding the quality of content published in FEBS Open Bio. We're proud to share that the board has grown by over 21% since early 2024, bringing together specialists from a range of disciplines that reflects the diversity of the journal’s submissions. Over a third of our board are women, and our editors are based across more than 25 countries worldwide.

Within our Editorial Board sits the Editorial Steering Committee – a small group of highly active editors who provide regular input, guiding editorial policy and ensuring the journal stays agile in the rapidly evolving publishing landscape. As one of our newly established groups, we're excited to witness the positive impact the Committee will have on the journal’s development in the coming months.

Our Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) has also seen an increase this year, with the addition of 13 new members from 12 different countries. EAB members play a key role in ensuring fast and thorough peer review by providing their expertise on manuscripts for which reviewer finding proves difficult, or when a second opinion is needed. Those who show consistent engagement are promoted to our Peer Review Taskforce – a group we regularly turn to for fast and expert feedback.

Also coming to our aid when reviewer finding becomes challenging is our Volunteer Reviewer Pool. Volunteer Reviewers lend their time and expertise to the journal, usually reviewing up to 2 manuscripts per month. Since the start of 2024, 9 new members have joined the pool, all eager to engage in peer review and learn about scientific publishing.

Finally, we're excited to share the launch of the Publishing Liaison Officer (PLO) role, a brand-new initiative in FEBS Open Bio. PLOs act as journal ambassadors – promoting FEBS Open Bio at conferences, encouraging submissions within their network, sourcing potential authors in their region, and providing advice to prospective authors and contributors. Currently, we have recruited 5 PLOs to join our team. It’s a pleasure to have them on board and we look forward to working with them to serve the wider research community. Although recruitment is currently paused, we're always open to interest. So, if you would like to learn more about the PLO role or connect with your national PLO, please feel free to reach out to them or contact the Editorial Office directly.

All six groups play a vital role in supporting the journal’s day-to-day functions and overall mission to serve and support the scientific community. As we move forward in our journey to strengthen our board, we will like to take this opportunity to thank them for helping us build an editorial community that is truly representative of the readers and authors FEBS Open Bio serves.

If you would like to learn more about these groups, view our webpage here where you can find a full list of members.

Top image by Alpgiray Kelem from Getty Images (sourced from Canva)