BioMed Central | Open Access and the developing world

The free exchange of scientific and medical information can play an important role in international development.

BioMed Central provides free, immediate and permanent online access to the full text of all articles published within its portfolio of 252 peer-reviewed journals, and through its open access waiver fund, ensures that scientific authors in low-income countries do not face financial barriers to publishing in open access journals.

Open access provides a way for researchers from low-income countries to participate more fully in the international research community, and so BioMed Central has created a set of initiatives designed to increase the visibility and output of scientific research from these countries.

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Research highlights

Overcoming the obstacles to HIV immunity

Can the immune system be induced to protect itself against HIV infection? Andrew McMichael gives his perspective in an interview, explaining the challenges faced in making a vaccine and why he remains optimistic about the potential of eliciting strong T cell responses for controlling the virus.

BMC Biology 2013, 11:60
HIV receptor gymnastics

Robin Weiss, in an article to mark the 30^th anniversary of the discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), reviews the complex interactions of the virus with the specialized surface molecules by which it gains entry into cells, and how this has led to drugs that block it.

BMC Biology 2013, 11:57
T cells permit early diagnosis of GVHD

Alloreactive T cells are present in the blood 2 weeks before the onset of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) symptoms in a mouse model, suggesting these cells could be measured to allow early diagnosis and timely therapeutic intervention.

BMC Medicine 2013, 11:134

10 May 2013: Mosquito survey identifies reservoir of disease

22 April 2013: Earth Day 2013: The Face of Climate Change

19 April 2013: More than just a text: mobile phones & developing worlds

02 April 2013: Young people in the developing world

28 March 2013: Links between Diabetes and Tuberculosis – a big problem for Ethiopia

Advocacy

BioMed Central has a range of advocacy material to help you spread the word about open access at your institution. Visit our advocacy pages to download a range of material including posters, leaflets and presentations.

Latest news

21 May 2013: Rich and poorest nations face off over TRIPS extension

21 May 2013: India lacks political will for science communication

21 May 2013: US$100 chip may ease diagnosis of 15 tropical disease

20 May 2013: Latin America up in arms over US firms' domain name grab

20 May 2013: Latin American Radar: Riding the wave of open access

Open Access initiatives

Open Access Africa 2012, hosted by BioMed Central and held at the University of Cape Town, brought together researchers, librarians, university administrators, funders and other decision-makers to discuss the benefits of open access to research in an African context, from the perspective of both researchers seeking to globally communicate their work, as well as readers seeking to access information.

Presentation slides and video of the sessions from Open Access Africa are available here.