Vita, a flagship international journal aiming for top-tier ranking in life sciences and biomedicine, is set to launch in spring 2026, as announced by Westlake University on Saturday.

The journal's name, derived from the Latin word for life, accurately reflects its disciplinary focus while promoting an inclusive and borderless academic vision, states Li Dangsheng, the journal's editor-in-chief.

Preparations for Vita are progressing steadily. An international serial number has been obtained, and an expert advisory committee composed of nearly 100 distinguished scientists from around the world has been established. The first batch of original research articles is currently undergoing final review, with plans for them to be published in the first quarter of 2026. The print edition is scheduled for release in June.

Vita will collaborate with the Langtaosha Preprint Server, which is spearheaded by the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and built in partnership with Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Tsinghua University, and Westlake University. This platform will provide researchers in life sciences and biomedicine with a rapid channel for sharing pre-publication results.

The establishment of Vita responds to a vital need in the advancement of China's scientific community. Despite its status as a global leader in life sciences research over the past decade, the development of high-quality domestic journals has not kept pace with this growth.

"Thus, the creation of a world-class scientific journal led by China and recognized on an international scale is not only necessary but also urgent," emphasized Shi Yigong, president of Westlake University.

Vita aims to form a professional editorial team committed to upholding rigorous academic standards, ensuring that the innovation and credibility of published research are maintained. Importantly, the journal will operate on an open-access model, imposing no fees on authors for publication.

The journal is co-founded by Higher Education Press and Westlake University, in collaboration with the Life Science Open Alliance.