Last Updated on August 21, 2026 by Dr. Bhagat
Updated August 2026. Molecular Cell has a 2025 Journal Impact Factor of 16.0, as reported by Cell Press for the 2026 Journal Citation Reports release cycle. It is a Q1 journal indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). This page combines the current JIF with the verified 2017–2025 history, journal identity, citation metrics and practical submission information.
Molecular Cell journal metrics at a glance
| 2025 Journal Impact Factor | 16.0 |
| 5-year Journal Impact Factor | 17.6 |
| JCR quartile | Q1 |
| Web of Science edition | Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) |
| 2025 CiteScore | 27.0 |
| 2025 SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) | 10.670 |
| Median time to first editorial decision | 19 days |
| Submission to acceptance | 170 days |
| Acceptance to online publication | 25 days |
| Optional open-access APC | USD 10,400, excluding taxes |
| Publisher | Cell Press, an Elsevier imprint |
| Print ISSN | 1097-2765 |
| Online ISSN | 1097-4164 |
| Publishing model | Subscription with an optional open-access route |
The Journal Impact Factor and five-year JIF are displayed by Cell Press. CiteScore is shown on the journal’s ScienceDirect profile, while the 2025 SJR is published by SCImago. These metrics use different databases and calculation methods, so they should not be treated as interchangeable.
About Molecular Cell
Molecular Cell is a Cell Press journal established in 1997. It publishes research that explains biological processes at molecular and mechanistic levels. Its scope includes gene expression, transcription, RNA biology, DNA replication and repair, chromatin and epigenetics, protein homeostasis, signalling, metabolism, cell-cycle control, structural biology and the molecular basis of disease.
The journal is particularly suited to studies that go beyond describing an association and establish how a molecular process works. Researchers should examine the current aims and scope and recent papers before submission because scientific fit and mechanistic depth matter more than the Impact Factor alone.
What is the Molecular Cell Impact Factor for 2025?
The Molecular Cell Journal Impact Factor for 2025 is 16.0. The metric is labelled by its citation year and appears in the following year’s Journal Citation Reports release cycle. Therefore, “2025 Impact Factor” and “JCR 2026” refer to the same result.
A JIF of 16.0 represents journal-level citation activity. It does not mean that every Molecular Cell paper will receive 16 citations, and it should not be used as a direct quality score for an individual article, researcher or institution.
Molecular Cell Impact Factor history, 2017–2025
| Impact Factor year | Journal Impact Factor | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 14.248 | — |
| 2018 | 14.548 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 15.584 | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 17.970 | +15.3% |
| 2021 | 19.328 | +7.6% |
| 2022 | 16.0 | −17.2% |
| 2023 | 14.5 | −9.4% |
| 2024 | 16.6 | +14.5% |
| 2025 | 16.0 | −3.6% |
The series rose from 14.248 in 2017 to a peak of 19.328 in 2021, declined in 2022 and 2023, recovered to 16.6 in 2024 and moved slightly to 16.0 in 2025. These annual movements describe citation patterns; they do not establish that the quality of every article rose or fell by the same amount.
Is Molecular Cell a Q1 journal?
Yes. Molecular Cell is placed in Q1 in the relevant JCR categories. Q1 means the journal is within the highest quartile under that category’s ranking method. Because quartiles are category-specific, Q1 should not be interpreted as a universal comparison with journals in unrelated disciplines.
Is Molecular Cell indexed in SCI, SCIE, Scopus and PubMed?
Molecular Cell is covered by the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) in the Web of Science Core Collection and is also indexed in Scopus and PubMed/MEDLINE. “SCI indexed” is often used informally, but SCIE is the more precise Web of Science edition name.
Molecular Cell CiteScore and SJR
The journal’s ScienceDirect profile currently displays a CiteScore of 27.0. SCImago reports a 2025 SJR of 10.670 and a Q1 position. CiteScore uses a Scopus-based citation window, while SJR weights citations according to the prestige of the citing source. Neither should be substituted for the Clarivate Journal Impact Factor.
Molecular Cell publishing model and open access
Molecular Cell is a hybrid journal. Authors can publish through the subscription route, for which the official journal insights page states that no publication fee is charged, or choose immediate gold open access. The current optional open-access Article Publishing Charge is USD 10,400 excluding taxes. Elsevier notes that the amount may be reduced during submission when an institutional agreement or other arrangement applies.
Paying the open-access APC does not influence editorial selection or peer review. Authors should choose the route according to funder requirements, institutional agreements, licensing needs and available funding, and should recheck the official price before submission because charges can change.
Molecular Cell acceptance rate
Cell Press does not publish a dependable current acceptance rate for Molecular Cell on the journal homepage. For that reason, this page does not present an unofficial estimate as fact. Unverified percentages circulating on third-party websites should not be treated as official journal data.
Molecular Cell review and publication timeline
Cell Press currently reports a median of 19 days to the first editorial decision. This measure includes decisions to send a paper for external review as well as decisions made during editorial screening; it is not the duration of a full peer-review round.
ScienceDirect reports 170 days from submission to acceptance, while Cell Press reports a median of 25 days from acceptance to online publication. The 170-day period may include author revision time and multiple editorial or reviewer stages. Individual manuscripts can move faster or slower depending on scientific complexity, reviewer availability and the extent of revision.
Molecular Cell article types
The journal’s official author guidance lists several research formats. Selecting the appropriate format matters because the scientific purpose, length and display-item limits differ.
- Article: a full research paper presenting a substantial molecular or mechanistic advance.
- Short Article: a concise research report suited to a focused but important finding.
- Resource: a broadly useful dataset, platform or biological resource that enables further discovery.
- Technology: a significant methodological or technical advance with demonstrated biological utility.
- Matters Arising: research that directly and definitively challenges the principal conclusion of a paper previously published in the journal.
Authors should consult the current article-type page before preparing the final manuscript because figure limits, required sections and format details can be revised.
How to submit a manuscript to Molecular Cell
Cell Press allows an initial submission as either a single PDF containing the text and related material or a Word file with the associated files. If a manuscript advances to revision or final submission, the editable source files and journal-specific components become important.
- Confirm that the main claim fits Molecular Cell’s focus on molecular mechanisms and is supported by complementary evidence.
- Select the correct article type and read its current limits and required components.
- Prepare the initial PDF or Word submission, figures, supporting information and a concise explanation of significance.
- Disclose related manuscripts, competing interests and relevant preprints as required by the journal policies.
- If invited to revise, supply editable files and address every editorial and reviewer point clearly.
- At final submission, verify author information, data and code availability, resource identifiers, figure files, permissions and the selected publishing route.
Methods, data and reporting requirements
Molecular Cell uses Cell Press reporting standards, including STAR Methods where applicable. The official policies state that newly generated items should be identified in the key resources table with their source recorded as “this paper.” Authors should also provide enough methodological detail for readers to understand and reproduce the work.
- Use stable accession numbers for deposited sequencing, structural or other repository data.
- State how readers can access custom code, materials and datasets, subject to ethical or legal restrictions.
- Report biological replicates, statistical tests, sample-size reasoning and exclusions transparently.
- Identify antibodies, cell lines, organisms, software and critical reagents consistently.
- Complete the declaration-of-interests requirements and obtain permission for reused material.
Publisher and editorial profile
| Journal | Molecular Cell |
| Publisher | Cell Press, an Elsevier imprint |
| Established | 1997 |
| Editor-in-Chief | Lara Szewczak, PhD |
| Print ISSN | 1097-2765 |
| Online ISSN | 1097-4164 |
| Primary research focus | Molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes |
Who should consider submitting to Molecular Cell?
Molecular Cell may be a good fit when a study establishes a substantial molecular mechanism, supports its conclusions with complementary experimental approaches and addresses questions relevant to a broad molecular or cell-biology readership.
Practical checks before submission
- Compare the manuscript with recently published Molecular Cell papers in the same area.
- Explain the central mechanism and why it changes current understanding.
- Confirm that key conclusions are supported by appropriate controls and independent approaches.
- Check the latest article types, formatting requirements and data policies on the official author page.
- Verify the current publishing option and any applicable open-access charge.
- Consider the audience and scientific fit rather than choosing the journal from JIF alone.
How to interpret Molecular Cell’s Impact Factor responsibly
The 16.0 JIF indicates high recent citation activity within molecular and cell biology, but citation distributions are uneven and fields cite at different rates. Article-level evidence, methodological quality, transparency, reproducibility, audience and editorial fit remain more useful for judging an individual study.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Molecular Cell Impact Factor for 2025?
The 2025 Journal Impact Factor is 16.0 in the 2026 JCR release cycle.
What is the five-year Impact Factor?
Cell Press reports a 2025 five-year Journal Impact Factor of 17.6.
Is Molecular Cell Q1?
Yes. It is a Q1 journal in the relevant JCR categories.
Who publishes Molecular Cell?
Molecular Cell is published by Cell Press, an imprint of Elsevier.
What are the Molecular Cell ISSNs?
The print ISSN is 1097-2765 and the online ISSN is 1097-4164.
Is Molecular Cell fully open access?
No. It offers a subscription route and an optional open-access route.
Sources and data notes
- Molecular Cell official journal page
- Cell Press journal metrics
- Molecular Cell publishing options
- Molecular Cell on ScienceDirect
- Molecular Cell journal insights and publishing timeline
- Molecular Cell article types
- Molecular Cell initial-submission guidance
- Molecular Cell journal policies
- Molecular Cell editors and staff
- SCImago journal profile
- Clarivate Journal Citation Reports
Data checked: 22 August 2026. The current JIF and five-year JIF were checked against Cell Press; the 2025 SJR was checked against SCImago. Policies and fees can change and should be reconfirmed on the official journal website.
