The Development and Applications of Aptamers
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 1724
Special Issue Editors
Interests: protein structure and function; bioinformatics; food science; biochemistry; molecular structure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: biochemistry; protein structure and function; bioinformatics; protein modelling; molecular docking; molecular dynamics simulations; rare diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: molecular interaction; bioinformatics; molecular simulations; biochemistry; clinical biochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Aptamers are short single-stranded RNA or DNA oligonucleotides that are capable of folding into complex 3D structures, allowing them to bind targets ranging from small ions to an entire organism. Their high specificity and binding affinity make them comparable to antibodies, but aptamers have a longer shelf life and lower toxicity and immunogenicity.
Aptamers have proven to be a promising alternative to antibodies for use in biomedical areas such as biomarker detection, diagnosis, imaging and therapy. Despite their therapeutic potential in some preclinical models, aptamers are not yet considered 'stars' in clinical trials, and one reason for this is selection difficulty.
The purpose of this Special Issue is to present papers that deal with either the discovery of new aptamers or the selection and application of aptamers in clinics for different pathologies. We welcome purely bioinformatics-based approaches (e.g., aptamer selection using molecular dynamics, the patterning of libraries, and in silico aptamer optimization), studies based on “wet” approaches, and combinations of both.
Prof. Dr. Angelo Facchiano
Dr. Anna Marabotti
Dr. Bernardina Scafuri
Guest Editors
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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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
- aptamers
- therapeutics
- diagnosis
- molecular interaction
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 polices can be found here.
