The advent of new technologies and growing recognition of the enormous degree of microbial diversity has revolutionized our understanding of microbiology as a discipline. Microbiology is moving into a new era that focuses less on specific organisms and more on the processes and mechanisms that link them. Nature Reviews Microbiology embraces this new era by encompassing the discipline in its broadest sense. We take an integrated approach to microbiology, bridging fundamental research and its clinical, industrial and environmental applications to create a single information resource for all who share an interest in microbial life. Nature Reviews Microbiology publishes the highest-quality reviews and perspectives highlighting important developments in our understanding of bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and protozoa, their interaction with their environments, how these organisms are harnessed in human endeavour and their impact on society. Also featured are timely summaries of significant research papers, as well as monthly updates on the latest developments in microbial genomics, post-genomic biology and infectious diseases. In line with our ongoing ambition to overcome the traditional barriers between bacteriology, virology, mycology and archaeal and protozoan biology, articles are tailored to appeal to microbiologists of every persuasion and at every level. The scope of the journal encompasses, but will not be limited to, the following fields pertaining to bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and protozoa:

    Biochemistry, physiology and molecular biology
    Genetics and genomics
    Ecology, evolution and biodiversity
    Cellular microbiology
    Environmental microbiology
    Pathogenesis and host defence
    Clinical and diagnostic microbiology
    Infectious diseases
    Antimicrobial therapies and vaccines
    Epidemiology and public health microbiology
    Applied and industrial microbiology
    Microbiology education
    Microbiology and society

Reviews, Perspectives, Comments

Chief Editor: Ursula Hofer, MD PhD ORCID 
Ursula completed the MD PhD programme of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, in molecular biology. She studied HIV’s effects on the gastrointestinal tract and how the virus and gut microbiota interact to disturb the immune system. As a postdoctoral researcher, Ursula contributed to a HIV gene-therapy project at the University of Southern California, USA. In early 2013, Ursula started her career in scientific publishing as an Associate Editor of Nature Reviews Microbiology. After helping to launch Nature Reviews Disease Primers in 2015, she joined the journal again as Chief Editor.
 
Senior Editor: Andrea Du Toit, PhD ORCID
Andrea obtained her Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology from the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, investigating the mechanisms of crosstalk between the glucocorticoid receptor and GPCR signalling pathways. During her postdoctoral studies she continued to research novel mechanisms of rapid, non‑genomic reciprocal receptor crosstalk, and she also developed an interest in crosstalk between the HIV-1 Vpr protein and the host glucocorticoid receptor in modulating host and viral gene regulation. In 2012, she decided to pursue her career in science publishing and joined the Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology team before moving to Nature Reviews Microbiology.
 
Senior Editor: Ashley York, DPhil ORCID
Ashley studied at University College London, UK, gaining a first class degree in Biological Sciences before earning his D.Phil. from the University of Oxford, UK. During his doctoral studies, he investigated the molecular mechanisms of influenza virus RNA synthesis with Professor Ervin Fodor at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. He then joined the Laboratory of Retrovirology at The Rockefeller University, USA, as a Postdoctoral Fellow working with Dr Paul Bieniasz. During this time, his research focussed on understanding intrinsic immune proteins that restrict HIV infection. Ashley joined the Nature Reviews Microbiology editorial team in 2016 as an Associate Editor.
The editors of Nature Reviews Microbiology are based in London, UK.