The Journal of Lipid Research focuses on the science of lipids in health and disease. The journal emphasizes lipid function and the biochemical and genetic regulation of lipid metabolism and aims to be on the forefront of the emerging areas of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics as they relate to lipid metabolism and function. In addition, JLR publishes manuscripts on patient-oriented and epidemiological research relating to altered lipid metabolism, including modification of dietary lipids. The editors welcome methods papers that provide new ways of purifying, identifying and quantifying lipids.

The following are representative areas covered in the journal:
Adipose tissue metabolism
Animal models of lipid abnormalities
Antioxidants and lipid peroxidation
Apolipoproteins, lipid transport and metabolism
Atherogenesis
Bile acids and bile acid metabolism
Brain lipids
Cell signaling
Cholesterol synthesis and trafficking
Clinical studies elucidating lipid dysfunction
Dietary lipids and disease prevention
Eicosanoids
Fatty acid binding proteins and metabolism
Genomics of lipids
Inborn errors in lipid metabolism
Lipases in lipid processing
Lipid enzymes
Lipidomics
Lipid micelle structure and organization
Lipid transfer proteins
Lipoproteins
Membrane lipids and structure
Model systems
Modified lipoproteins
Neutral lipids
Oxidized LDL
Oxysterols and sterol metabolism
Phospholipids and phospholipases
Protein-lipid interactions
Receptors for lipids
Sphingolipids