bioRxiv

bioRxiv is a preprint server for the biological sciences, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. It allows researchers to share their findings with the scientific community before they undergo formal peer review at a traditional journal. Think of it as an early access platform where scientists post their completed manuscripts so that others can read, comment on, and build upon the work immediately, rather than waiting months or even years for the formal publication process to play out. Launched in 2013, it has become an essential part of the biology research ecosystem, with hundreds of thousands of preprints covering areas like genetics, neuroscience, cell biology, ecology, and computational biology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, bioRxiv and its sister site medRxiv became critical channels for rapidly disseminating research findings about the virus, with many important discoveries reaching the public through preprints long before they appeared in journals. For researchers who want to establish priority for their discoveries or get early feedback from peers, posting on bioRxiv has become a standard practice in modern biological research.