Publication Guide
The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) is the definitive professional society for human genetics in the United States and one of the most influential worldwide. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, it serves nearly 8,000 members across more than 75 countries. Unlike large commercial houses, ASHG publishes just two peer-reviewed journals - but they anchor the field: The American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG), its flagship since 1949, and Human Genetics and Genomics Advances (HGG Advances), a fully open-access companion launched in 2020.
Both journals are owned and editorially controlled by ASHG and are currently produced by Cell Press, an Elsevier imprint, under a partnership dating to 2008. In July 2026, ASHG announced that Oxford University Press will take over production and dissemination of both journals beginning in January 2027, with ASHG retaining full editorial control and responsibility for peer review. This guide covers which journal fits your paper, open-access routes and APCs, peer review, and how to submit.
Which ASHG journal fits your paper?
| You're most likely to... | Choose this route |
|---|---|
| Have a high-impact discovery in human genetics or genomics - novel disease gene, major methods advance, landmark population study | AJHG - the flagship. Selective, monthly, hybrid OA. Content becomes free to all readers 6 months after publication. |
| Want fully open access with a lower APC and rapid publication | HGG Advances - Gold OA, CC BY licensing available, APC ~2,640 for ASHG members). |
| Have a solid, well-executed study that AJHG declined | Transfer to HGG Advances - AJHG offers rejected manuscripts a streamlined transfer to its companion journal, often reusing reviews. |
| Need to satisfy a funder OA mandate on a budget | HGG Advances, or AJHG's paid OA option (~$5,150) if the flagship venue matters; check whether an Elsevier read-and-publish deal covers you through 2026. |
What ASHG publishes
- The American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG) - established 1949, published monthly. Covers the full breadth of human genetics: Mendelian disorders, complex-trait and statistical genetics, population and evolutionary genetics, genomic technologies, and the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic research. Publishes articles, reports, reviews, and commentaries. Its 2024 Journal Impact Factor is around 8.
- Human Genetics and Genomics Advances (HGG Advances) - launched in 2020 as ASHG's fully open-access journal. Publishes across the complete spectrum of human genetic and genomic research, with an emphasis on rapid, rigorous publication of diverse findings, including solid confirmatory and descriptive work that complements AJHG's discovery focus.
Open access and APCs
APCs below reflect the current Cell Press price pages (USD, before tax); prices are revised periodically and the publishing transition to OUP may change them for 2027, so always check the journal's fees page before submitting.
| Journal | OA model | APC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJHG | Hybrid | ~$5,150 | Optional OA; subscription route has no APC. All content becomes freely available 6 months after publication. ASHG member corresponding authors pay no page or color-figure charges. |
| HGG Advances | Gold (fully OA) | ~$3,300 | 20% member discount (~$2,640). 100% waiver for World Bank low-income countries; 75% waiver for lower-middle-income countries. |
AJHG is also covered by many of Elsevier's institutional read-and-publish (transformative) agreements through 2026 - check with your library whether your institution's deal covers the OA fee. Green self-archiving of the accepted manuscript is permitted per the journal's policy pages.
Peer review
Both journals use single-anonymized peer review, with at least two reviewers per manuscript and editorial decisions made by ASHG-appointed academic editors. AJHG's editors aim to reach decisions within about four weeks of submission. Manuscripts declined at AJHG can be transferred to HGG Advances with reviews attached, which shortens the second round considerably.
How to submit
- Pick the journal. AJHG for selective, high-impact work; HGG Advances for fully OA, rapid publication.
- Read the information for authors. Each journal maintains its own author guidelines on the Cell Press site (moving to OUP platforms in 2027).
- Prepare your manuscript. AJHG uses author-year citation style; SciSpace hosts formatted templates for both journals.
- Submit via Editorial Manager. Both journals currently use Editorial Manager; the submission link is on each journal's homepage.
- Respond to review. Expect an AJHG decision in roughly four weeks; consider the transfer offer to HGG Advances if declined.
The 2027 move to Oxford University Press
After nearly two decades with Cell Press, ASHG selected Oxford University Press as its publishing partner starting January 2027. ASHG keeps full editorial control and peer-review responsibility; OUP takes over production, hosting, and dissemination. Practical implications for authors: submission platforms, price lists, and read-and-publish coverage may change for papers submitted from 2027 onward - verify current details on ashg.org before submitting around the transition.
Ethics and integrity
ASHG's journals follow COPE guidance on publication ethics, corrections, and retractions, and ASHG maintains society-level statements on responsible conduct in genetics research. Both journals require appropriate consent and ethics approvals for human-subjects research and encourage data sharing consistent with participant privacy protections.
