Springer Nature Launches Open-Access Journal Discover Pediatrics

Springer Nature has launched Discover Pediatrics, a new open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research across the breadth of pediatric science. The journal’s inaugural editorial, published on 7 August 2026 as Volume 1, article number 1, announces the launch and outlines the publication’s aims, scope, and editorial leadership. The journal sits within the wider Discover journal series and welcomes submissions through its online portal.

A central premise of the launch is that children and adolescents are not simply “small adults.” According to the editorial, their physiology, patterns of disease, and responses to treatment differ in important ways from those of adults, a reality that makes dedicated pediatric research essential to protecting and improving their health. The journal’s editors argue that this developmental distinctiveness justifies a publication devoted exclusively to the science of the youngest patients.

The journal positions itself at the intersection of several research traditions. Pediatric research, as described in the editorial, brings together basic biomedical science, translational medicine, clinical practice, and population health. It spans questions ranging from the molecular mechanisms of disease in the developing body to the delivery of care in hospitals, clinics, and communities, from the care of newborns in neonatal intensive care units to the developmental, behavioral, and social challenges that emerge during adolescence.

The editors emphasize that this work carries lasting implications, not only for individual children and their families but also for the health of future generations. As part of the Discover series, the journal commits to an efficient submission process, timely and rigorous peer review, and responsive support for authors throughout the publication process. It welcomes basic, translational, clinical, and interdisciplinary research united by a common aim: improving the health and well-being of infants, children, and adolescents worldwide.

The journal’s stated scope is broad. Discover Pediatrics welcomes basic biomedical and clinical research on patients from birth through adolescence up to 21 years of age, covering all aspects of pediatrics. Listed topic areas include neonatology, pediatric cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and hepatology, hematology and oncology, infectious diseases, nephrology, neurology, pulmonology, genetics and genomics, surgery, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, emergency medicine, pharmacology, mental health, and digital health.

The publication is supported by an international Editorial Board drawn from across the pediatric disciplines, whose members work in a variety of clinical and research settings. The editorial states that the range of specialties and regions the board members represent reflects the journal’s multidisciplinary outlook, and that the board guides the journal’s development, oversees its peer-review process, and helps identify where pediatric research is heading. The journal also invites researchers and clinicians who share its commitment to join the board as it grows.

Leading the journal’s editorial team as Section Editor is Dr Alain C. Cuna, a neonatologist and physician-scientist at Children’s Mercy Kansas City and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine. His work centers on the complications faced by preterm and critically ill newborns, with a particular focus on necrotizing enterocolitis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Alongside his clinical practice, he pursues translational research into the genetic, microbial, and immunological origins of these conditions.

The journal aims to serve a wide readership. The editorial identifies researchers, clinicians, educators, students and trainees, caregivers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and members of the public as its intended audience. Guided by high editorial standards and a commitment to scientific integrity, the journal aims to provide a forum in which new findings can be presented, critically examined, and translated into better health and care for children and young people.

To serve this community, the journal accepts a broad range of article types, including Research Articles, Reviews, Case Reports, Case Studies, Clinical Trials, Methodology papers, Data Notes, Registered Reports, Brief Reports, Comments, Perspectives, and Matters Arising. Beyond individual submissions, the editors welcome contributions and proposals for topical Collections addressing emerging challenges and underexplored areas in pediatric health research.

The launch editorial closes with an invitation to researchers and clinicians around the world to submit their work and help build what the editors call a vibrant forum for pediatric research. It also extends thanks to the Editorial Board members, reviewers, and authors whose contributions helped launch the journal, and expresses the hope of working with the wider pediatric research community to advance knowledge and improve the health and well-being of infants, children, and adolescents worldwide. The article is published open access and is freely available to read.

Subject of Research: Launch of the open-access pediatric research journal Discover Pediatrics

Article Title: Welcome to Discover Pediatrics: growing alongside our youngest patients

Article References: He, M., & Zhang, S. S. (2026). Welcome to Discover Pediatrics: growing alongside our youngest patients. Discover Pediatrics, 1(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44571-026-00003-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s44571-026-00003-7

Keywords: Discover Pediatrics, Springer Nature, pediatrics, open access, neonatology, peer review, child health, editorial board, clinical research, journal launch, Welcome, Discover