Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Elucidating Human Drug Metabolism: From the Preclinical Phase to Real-World Studies
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology and Drug Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editor
Interests: drug metabolism; exposomics; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; metabolite profiling; metabolomics; personalized medicine; pharmacogenetics; pharmacometabolomics; pharmacy
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Elucidation of human drug metabolism is key to the development of effective and safe therapeutics and, furthermore, forms the basis of therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacogenetic testing. This elucidation work spans multiple stages of drug development, notably during the preclinical phase through in vitro (e.g., microsomes, hepatocytes), ex vivo (e.g., precision-cut liver slices), and in vivo (e.g., animal studies) experiments, as well as the clinical phase via human radiolabeled mass balance studies. Recent advancements in small-molecule profiling have further expanded the utility of these approaches in real-world settings, supporting the transition towards more personalized pharmacotherapy.
This Special Issue of Metabolites aims to highlight novel fundamental and clinical applications of mass spectrometry in characterizing drug metabolism, from preclinical studies to post-marketing clinical studies. We invite contributions across a broad range of topics, including (pharma) cometabolomics, toxicokinetics, pharmacophenotyping, and integrative research focused on mapping and understanding inter-individual variability in pharmacokinetics and drug response. Studies leveraging cutting-edge analytical platforms to investigate metabolic pathways, describe understudied xenobiotic conversion reactions, and improve therapeutic outcomes are particularly welcome.
Dr. Frank Klont
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- drug metabolism
- liquid chromatography
- mass balance studies
- mass spectrometry
- metabolite profiling
- metabolomics
- personalized medicine
- pharmacogenetics
- pharmacometabolomics
- pharmacy
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
