Several top editors of the Journal of Clinical Immunology (JoCI), a Springer Nature title, have jumped ship to start a new, nonprofit journal with Rockefeller University Press. Jean-Laurent Casanova, the resigning coeditor-in-chief, told the move followed pressure from Springer to publish more papers as the journal prepared to become fully open access. Casanova and all 11 associate editors of the journal resigned at the end of 2024.

The new Journal of Human Immunity is a joint venture between Rockefeller University Press and the International Alliance for Primary Immunodeficiency Societies (IAPIDS). The new journal’s article processing charge will be around $3,500, Casanova said, cheaper than nearly $5,000 for publishing in JoCI. The journal will also offer discounts to IAPIDS members and waive the charges for authors from low- and middle-income countries.

Editors from more than 20 other journals have taken similar actions in the past couple of years. Reasons for the walkouts vary, but editors often cite publishers’ perceived focus on paper quantity over quality.

Another high-profile case has interested scientists. Read now