Humans are in constant contact with microorganisms, some of which we interact with symbiotically to support our general physiology, while others disrupt our physiology and cause diseases – these are Pathogens. While the health burden pathogenic organisms create has significantly reduced with the development of modern medicine, pathogens still create a considerable risk to mortality and morbidity, particularly in the developing world.

The study of pathogens is vital in understanding the mechanisms that cause diseases and how we can target them, as well as identifying changes in existing pathogens and emergence of new novel species.

The Pathogens Gateway will house all content on F1000Research related to pathogenic organisms, whether it be their underlying biology, their pathogenesis or the diseases they cause. The Gateway will also include research into the treatment of these pathogens, their interactions with our immune systems and how infection can be controlled. 

The Pathogens Gateway aims to provide a dedicated open platform for the progression and acceleration of our understanding of pathogens, openly sharing data focused on these organisms to facilitate the rapid dissemination of findings with translational potential such as genomes. Alongside the findings of research into these organisms, we provide a platform for the transparent reporting of all research related to pathogens, including methods, protocols, and software.