(Press-News.org) openRxiv has officially launched as an independent nonprofit to oversee bioRxiv and medRxiv, the world's leading preprint servers for life and health sciences. openRxiv ensures that researchers worldwide can continue to share discoveries rapidly and openly. With a researcher-led governance model, openRxiv strengthens the foundation of preprint sharing, empowering scientists to communicate findings at the speed of discovery.
"We want openRxiv to be a home for all scientists—whether they're early-career researchers, established scholars, or from institutions large and small worldwide," said Dr. John Inglis, Chair of the openRxiv Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and Co-Founder at bioRxiv and medRxiv. "By keeping preprint sharing independent, open, and researcher-led, we can foster even greater collaboration and innovation across the sciences."
Sustaining and Expanding the Role of Preprints in Science
Since their launches in 2013 and 2019, respectively, preprint servers bioRxiv and medRxiv have transformed how scientific findings are communicated. They have hosted more than 325,000 reports of new discoveries, enabling scientists worldwide to collaborate, iterate, and build upon each other's work at an unprecedented pace. These platforms play a critical role during global challenges in health and research, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where rapid scientific dissemination is key. Researchers around the world continue to use them across all fields of the life sciences: each month, over 11 million readers explore manuscripts that have been submitted by tens of thousands of scientists from more than 140 countries. Preprints provide real-time access to emerging research, accelerating collaborations and informing public health responses.
The formation and success of bioRxiv and medRxiv have been made possible through the foundational support and collaboration of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, BMJ Group and Yale School of Medicine. Their leadership in the establishment and operation of these preprint servers has played a crucial role in accelerating scientific communication and ensuring researchers have a platform to share and access new findings without delay.
Establishing openRxiv aims to accelerate the value of these preprint servers, making it easier for these resources to grow and adapt. Created as services of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in partnership with other institutions, bioRxiv and medRxiv now move under openRxiv's researcher-driven governance, ensuring that preprint sharing remains independent, sustainable, and responsive to researchers' evolving needs.
Why an Independent Nonprofit?
The creation of openRxiv as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit addresses several key priorities:
Long-Term Sustainability – openRxiv dedicates all resources to maintaining and improving preprint sharing, without competing institutional goals or financial pressures typical of commercial management.
Flexibility for the Future – As an independent organization, openRxiv can refine processes and respond directly to the scientific community's needs, ensuring preprint servers remain relevant, useful, and globally accessible.
Broad Community Oversight – A governance group composed of researchers, funders, and technical experts ensures that organizational decisions reflect the priorities of the scientific community as a whole rather than a single institution or organization.
Funding & Commitment to Transparency
openRxiv is purposefully designed to diversify funding sources to safeguard its independence, ensuring long-term financial stability through partnerships with multiple funders, research institutions, and other stakeholders.
The organization is launching with initial philanthropic support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and other organizations. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) has provided critical early support for openRxiv, reinforcing its mission to keep preprint sharing open, independent, and researcher-led.
"Open science is essential to accelerating discoveries and advancing the study of human health and disease," said Stephen Quake, Head of Science at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. "With the launch of openRxiv, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is helping ensure that scientists worldwide have the infrastructure needed to share and build upon groundbreaking research freely and openly. CZI has been a longtime supporter of preprint servers, and I am excited for this next phase of progress in scientific communication."
Additionally, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, BMJ Group, and Yale School of Medicine remain key supporters of openRxiv, providing invaluable expertise and guidance to help sustain and grow the preprint ecosystem.
"openRxiv is the natural evolution and progression of free and open access to scientific information," shared Bruce Stillman, President and CEO of CSHL. "bioRxiv and medRxiv have revolutionized the field of science and scientific publishing. The establishment of openRxiv will allow for continued innovation in how the latest scientific results are communicated."
"BMJ Group is a proud partner of openRxiv and supports its success. We recognize the crucial role of preprints and believe that openRxiv's independence from competing interests safeguards these platforms for researchers," said Theodora Bloom PhD, Director of Editorial Operations, BMJ Group. "Researcher-led governance enhances trust and reliability, benefiting both science and the public."
A New Chapter for bioRxiv and medRxiv
openRxiv marks a new chapter in open science by transitioning bioRxiv and medRxiv into an independent nonprofit—keeping rapid, community-focused research sharing at the forefront. A diverse board of scientists and stakeholders guides openRxiv free from single-institution constraints, championing transparent governance and a global vision. By empowering more researchers to share findings early, openRxiv aims to drive faster breakthroughs in life science and health research.
"Preprints have proven indispensable for accelerating discovery, particularly in urgent scientific and public health contexts," said Dr. Richard Sever, Chief Science and Strategy Officer at openRxiv and Co-Founder of bioRxiv and medRxiv. "By establishing openRxiv as an independent nonprofit, we are securing the future of bioRxiv and medRxiv as trusted, researcher-led platforms that will continue to serve the global scientific community."
Interim Chief Operating Officer Tracy Teal shared, "The establishment of openRxiv as an independent non-profit is an exciting moment for open communication in the life sciences, creating more pathways and opportunities for growth and innovation in how we share and connect around research articles."
openRxiv is seeking its first Chief Executive Officer. For more information or to apply, please see the blog.
For more information, visit openrxiv.org or follow us on BlueSky, and LinkedIn for updates.
About openRxiv
openRxiv is an independent, nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) established to steward bioRxiv and medRxiv, the premier preprint servers for life science and health research. Committed to rapid, open scientific sharing, openRxiv ensures that researchers worldwide can disseminate their findings quickly and transparently, advancing communication at the speed of science. For more information, please visit openrxiv.org.
About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society's toughest challenges—from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a better future for everyone. For more information, please visit chanzuckerberg.com or email Patricia Flores at pflores@chanzuckerberg.com with any questions.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, powers transformational discoveries in cancer, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, plant biology and quantitative biology. For more than a century, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has been a powerful and productive environment for developing, connecting and sharing world-changing ideas. Employing 1,000 people, including 600 scientists, students and technicians, CSHL nurtures the constant flow of ideas through a campus and culture designed to cultivate curiosity, discovery and innovation to make lives better. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu.
BMJ Group
BMJ Group is a global healthcare knowledge provider with a vision for a healthier world. We share knowledge and expertise to improve healthcare outcomes for all. Explore our products and resources, and how we are making a difference at bmjgroup.com
Media Contact
Tracy Teal, Interim COO
teal@openrxiv.org
END
openRxiv launch to sustain and expand preprint sharing in life and health sciences
2025-03-12
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