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Life publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Trends and Applications—4th Edition

edited by

and

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | 9 articles | Viewed by 12771 | Submission Open

Keywords: clinical physical medicine and rehabilitation; neurorehabilitation; cardiopulmonary rehabilitation; orthopedic rehabilitation; pediatric rehabilitation; geriatric rehabilitation; cancer rehabilitation; musculoskeletal pain management; physical therapy; occupational therapy; speech and swallowing therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Epidemiology)

Advancing Nanotechnology in Cancer Theranostics

edited by

Yulia Merkher

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3045 | Submission Open

Keywords: nanotechnology; cancer; nanoscale materials; nanoparticles; diagnostic accuracy; therapeutic efficacy; metastasis detection and prediction; targeted drug delivery; personalized cancer therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

3D Imaging and Facial Reconstruction

edited by Marios Papadakis

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2086 | Submission Open

Keywords: 3D imaging; facial plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery; virtual surgical planning; custom implants; preoperative planning; intraoperative navigation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Targeting Hormonal Regulation in Prostate Cancer

edited by Marília Figueira

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 404 | Submission Open

Keywords: prostate cancer; castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC); metastatic prostate cancer; estrogens; estrogen receptors; drug resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Ion Channels and Neurological Disease: 2nd Edition

edited by

Carlo Musio

and Marzia Martina

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 9 articles | Viewed by 32021 | Submission Open

Keywords: ion channels; neurological diseases; neurodegeneration; pain; cellular and animal models; neuronal excitability; neuronal activity; synaptic transmission; structural and functional correlates; computational modeling; pathophysiology and pathogenesis; channelopathies; altered currents; neuropharmacology and ethnopharmacology; drug screening; delivery; and targeting; pharmacological treatments; molecular therapeutic options; neuroprotection

(This special issue belongs to the Section Pharmaceutical Science)

New Advances in Neuroimaging and Brain Functions: 2nd Edition

edited by

Ming-Chang Chiang

and

Chiahui Yen

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 29698 | Submission Open

Keywords: neuroimaging; brain functions; neurological diseases; humanities and social sciences; noninvasive methods; AI deep learning

(This special issue belongs to the Section Radiobiology and Nuclear Medicine)

Pain and Therapy: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

edited by

Francesco Scaglione

and

Arianna Pani

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 8 articles | Viewed by 19925 | Submission Open

Keywords: pain; nociceptive pain; neuropathic pain; neoplastic pain; pain physiology; pain treatment

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Pancreatic Cancer: Long Survivals

edited by Francesco Leonardi and

Ingrid Garajova

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 12582 | Submission Open

Keywords: pancreatic cancer; long survival; outcome; pancreatic adenocarcinoma; long-term survival; surgical resection; chemotherapy; NGS

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Etiology, Prediction and Prognosis of Ischemic Stroke

edited by

Vida Abedi

Ramin Zand

and Jiang Li

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 11518 | Submission Open

Keywords: ischemic stroke; recurrent stroke; etiology; machine learning; artificial intelligence; subtyping; prediction; prognosis; genetic risk factors; lifestyle factors; environmental factors; biomarkers; cerebrovascular diseases; prevention; treatment strategies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Microbiome–Gut–Brain Connections: New Windows into Health and Disease

edited by

Yating Wan

and Qi Su

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 10105 | Submission Open

Keywords: gut microbes; gut– brain axis; neuroscience

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Gestational Diseases

edited by

Andrea Suranyi

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6319 | Submission Open

Keywords: gestational diseases; gestational diabetes; preeclampsia; pregnancy complications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Recent Advances in Valve Therapy: Clinical and Molecular Perspectives

edited by

Panayotis Vlachakis

, Konstantinos Toutouzas and Constantina Aggeli

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4920 | Submission Open

Keywords: transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI); valve-in-valve; long-term outcomes; aortic stenosis; molecular mechanisms in valve disease; structural heart disease

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Exploring the Mechanisms of the Effects of Microplastics and Nanomaterials on Biological Physiological Functions

edited by

Yung-Li Wang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3782 | Submission Open

Keywords: microplastics; nanomaterials; environmental toxicology; oxidative stress; physiological function

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Liver Disease: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatments

edited by Hsien-Hui Chung

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3648 | Submission Open

Keywords: alcoholic hepatitis; artificial intelligence; biomarkers; clinical trials; gut– liver axis; liver cancer; metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis; molecular targets; pharmacotherapeutic mechanisms; therapeutic strategies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Advances in Cardiac Arrest: Prognostic Performance and Management

edited by

Kei Hayashida

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2100 | Submission Open

Keywords: cardiac arrest; resuscitation; emergency medicine; critical care medicine

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Pig Microbiota Metabolism and Intestinal Health

edited by

Qi-Ye Wang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2014 | Submission Open

Keywords: pig microbiota; metabolism; intestinal health; gut microbiome; functional genomics; microbiome-host interactions; animal nutrition; disease resistance; gut barrier function; omics technologies; immune function; antibiotic reduction; feed efficiency; pathogen control; gastrointestinal health

(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Science)

Plant–Soil Interactions Under Global Change

edited by

Tao Zhang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1762 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant– soil interactions; biodiversity; ecosystem; agroecosystem; natural ecosystem; sustainable development

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Science)

Advances in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine

edited by

Yu-Jang Su

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1332 | Submission Open

Keywords: emergency medicine; critical care; trauma; infectious diseases; elderly

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Brain Health for All Ages: Leave No One Behind

edited by

Tissa Wijeratne

and Dilani Wijeratne

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1235 | Submission Open

Keywords: brain health; neurology; neurological syndromes

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

The Biological Impacts of Fetal Alcohol Exposure

edited by Kelly J. Huffman

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 955 | Submission Open

Keywords: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; fetal alcohol syndrome; brain development; behavioral development; prenatal exposure

(This special issue belongs to the Section Reproductive and Developmental Biology)

Microbial Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing

edited by

Sheng Tong

Dexin Wang

and

Guirong Tang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 644 | Submission Open

Keywords: synthetic biology tools; microbial biomanufacturing; future foods; bulk chemicals; plant natural products

(This special issue belongs to the Section Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology)

Cell Asymmetry and Polarity: Guiding Cellular Behavior and Development: Second Edition

edited by

Tadahiro Nagaoka

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 389 | Submission Open

Keywords: cell asymmetry; cell polarity; tissue morphogenesis; planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway; Wnt pathway; therapeutic implications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering)

Advances in Imaging for Female Patients: Breast and Gynecological Diagnostics

edited by Silvia Gigli, Emanuele David and Giacomo Bonito

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 254 | Submission Open

Keywords: breast cancer; breast screening; gynecological cancer; mammography; CEM; ultrasound; MRI; PET/TC; radiomics; artificial intelligence

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Advanced Machine Learning for Bio-Signal Processing and Health Monitoring

edited by

Amin Hekmatmanesh

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 194 | Submission Open

Keywords: brain– computer interface (BCI); electroencephalogram (EEG); machine learning; biomedical signal processing; brain computer interface; health monitoring

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Cancer Genetics and Genomics: From Structure to Therapy

edited by Luca Járomi and Gellért Gerencsér

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 178 | Submission Open

Keywords: epigenetics; cancer therapy; multidrug resistance (MDR); accumulation; biomarkers

(This special issue belongs to the Section Genetics and Genomics)

Mechanisms and Ecology of Migration and Homing

edited by Hynek Burda

submission deadline 1 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 199 | Submission Open

Keywords: migration; homing; navigation; spatial orientation; magnetoreception; cognitive maps; seasonality; spatial memory

(This special issue belongs to the Section Diversity and Ecology)

Advances in Endoscopic, Surgical, and Interventional Radiological Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases

edited by

Beata Jabłońska

submission deadline 6 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 9244 | Submission Open

Keywords: gastrointestinal disease; endoscopic cystogastrostomy; endoscopic biliary prosthesis; endoscopic pancreatic prosthesis; endoscopic necrosectomy; esophagectomy; gastrectomy; bowel resection; colectomy; pancreatectomy; hepatectomy; liver transplantation; gastroenterology; surgery; interventional radiology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Regulation of Cerebrovascular Resistance in Health and Disease: From Molecules to Humans

edited by

Akos Koller

submission deadline 13 Feb 2026 | 7 articles | Viewed by 13901 | Submission Open

Keywords: cerebral blood flow; hemodynamic forces; cerebrovascular resistance; endothelium; smooth muscle; arachidonic acid metabolites; reactive oxygen species; molecular mediators; protein and mRNA expressions; brain disease conditions; transcranial Doppler measurement; EEG; lifestyle

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Pain Epidemiology

edited by

Gergely Fehér

submission deadline 14 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 241 | Submission Open

Keywords: pain epidemiology; chronic pain; neuropathic pain; nociplastic pain; headache; migraine; orofacial pain; low back pain

(This special issue belongs to the Section Epidemiology)

Prebiotic Chemistry: The Molecular Origins of Life

edited by

Nigel Mason

submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 828 | Submission Open

Keywords: astrobiology; astrochemistry; biochemistry; computational modelling; geochemistry; metabolic pathways; lipid formation; peptide synthesis; photochemistry; radiation chemistry; RNA world; self-assembly; systems chemistry

(This special issue belongs to the Section Origin of Life)

Microbiome Dynamics: Advancing Therapeutic Development in Health and Disease

edited by

Hoonhee Seo

, Sukyung Kim and

Md Abdur Rahim

submission deadline 16 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 764 | Submission Open

Keywords: next-generation probiotics (NGPs); microbiome-based therapeutics; metagenomics and multi-omics integration; microbial biomarkers; short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs); artificial human microbiome simulators; GMP-scale production; clinical translation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Omics Approaches in Antipsychotic Pharmacology

edited by

Kyle Burghardt

submission deadline 18 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 123 | Submission Open

Keywords: antipsychotics; genomics; epigenomics; transcriptomics; lipidomics; metabolomics; proteomics; human; animal

(This special issue belongs to the Section Pharmaceutical Science)

Current Challenges in Human Space Flight

edited by

Larry D. Sanford

and

Richard A. Britten

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 15110 | Submission Open

Keywords: cognition; microgravity; sleep; stress; Martian and lunar dust; neural stem cells and progenitors

(This special issue belongs to the Section Astrobiology)

Musculoskeletal Function and Exercise Physiology: Integrative Approaches and Emerging Insights

edited by

Robert Smith

Tyler Neltner

Dimitrije Cabarkapa

and Luke Chowning

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1330 | Submission Open

Keywords: resistance exercise; aerobic exercise; sport performance; neuromuscular; electromyography; muscle function; kinematics; kinetics; biomechanics; motion analysis; imaging techniques; muscle biopsy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Mucopolysaccharidosis-Plus: From Molecular Defects to Therapeutic Strategies

edited by Zuzanna Cyske

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 117 | Submission Open

Keywords: mucopolysaccharidosis; mucopolysaccharidosis-plus syndrome; MPSPS; VPS33A; therapy; patomechanism; diagnostic; patients’ care

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Advances in Ubiquitous Connective Tissue Architecture: Fascia, Dynamic movements and Perception in Living Structures

edited by

Jean Claude Guimberteau

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 12039 | Submission Open

Keywords: fascia; connective tissue; fibrillar network; microvolumes; collagen; cell microenvironment; force absorption system

(This special issue belongs to the Section Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering)

Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

edited by

Juan Gómez Rivas

and Jesús Moreno Sierra

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3205 | Submission Open

Keywords: active surveillance; hormonal treatment; personalized medicine; prostate cancer; robotic surgery; targeted therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Nutrition, Exercise and Stress

edited by Maleah Holland-Winkler

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 580 | Submission Open

Keywords: nutrition; exercise; stress

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Gynecology Update: Modern Diagnostic Approaches and Innovative Therapies

edited by Szabolcs Várbíró,

Keszthelyi Márton

, Richárd Tóth and Balázs Lintner

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3970 | Submission Open

Keywords: gynecologic oncology; endocrinology; reproductive medicine; fertility preservation; prevention; women’ s health innovation; quality of life; personalized therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Conservative Management of Chronic Disease—2nd Edition

edited by

Jonathan Sinclair

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1253 | Submission Open

Keywords: chronic disease; conservative management; trial protocol; clinical research; interventions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Pharmacological Advances in Anticancer, Antiparasitic, and Immunomodulatory Therapies

edited by Cássio Santana Meira and Vinicius Pinto Costa Rocha

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 428 | Submission Open

Keywords: anticancer drugs; antiparasitic agents; immunomodulatory therapy; drug development

(This special issue belongs to the Section Pharmaceutical Science)

Biomechanics of Aging

edited by

Márcio Fagundes Goethel

and

Filipa Sousa

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 296 | Submission Open

Keywords: aging; biomechanics; musculoskeletal; gait; balance; falls; exercise; assistive devices

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Skin Aging and Dermatosis

edited by Edwin Lephart and Zoe D. Draelos

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 291 | Submission Open

Keywords: skin aging; chronological dermal aging; photo-aging; hormone therapy; menopause; estrogen-deficient skin; dermatosis; skin conditions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

The Link Between Food Safety and Microbiology

edited by

Babak Pakbin

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 220 | Submission Open

Keywords: food safety; food microbiology; beneficial microbes; food preservation; food safety enhancement

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Oral Health: Microbial Dynamics and Antibiotic Stewardship

edited by

Kristina Peroš

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 171 | Submission Open

Keywords: oral health; oral microbiota; microbial dynamics; antibiotic stewardship

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Acute Kidney Events in Intensive Care

edited by

Silvia De Rosa

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 10654 | Submission Open

Keywords: acute kidney events; ICU; critically ill; RRT; outcome; acute kidney disease; chronic kidney disease; biomarkers

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases

edited by

Emina Karahmet Sher

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 8732 | Submission Open

Keywords: chronic inflammatory diseases; autoimmune diseases; biomarker identification; innovative biologics; small-molecule inhibitors; gene editing technologies; cell-based therapeutics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Feature Papers in Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology 2025

edited by

Pasquale Stano

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4674 | Submission Open

Keywords: design and construction of synthetic biological systems; innovations in the creation of synthetic organisms; genetic circuits; and biomolecular devices; bottom-up synthetic biology; cell-free synthetic biology; tissue engineering and organoids; bioorthogonal parts; devices; systems; microcompartmentalized systems with soft or hard interfaces; theoretical considerations about synthetic biology; synthetic biology intersection with systems chemistry and bioorganic chemistry; computational modeling and simulation of biological processes; advances in computational tools and models that enhance our understanding of biological processes and systems; metabolic engineering and synthetic pathways; development of novel approaches for the production of biofuels; pharmaceuticals; and other valuable compounds; synthetic biology for approaching evolutionary problems; artificial evolution and in vitro evolution; optogenetics and related techniques; gene editing technologies; applications; and developments; education in synthetic and systems biology; cutting-edge techniques and applications of CRISPR and other gene editing tools; systems biology approaches to understanding complex biological networks; mathematical aspects of systems biology approaches; artificial photosynthesis; applications of synthetic biology in medicine; agriculture; and industry; practical applications of synthetic and systems biology in various sectors; including healthcare; agriculture; and industrial biotechnology; ethical; legal; and social implications of synthetic and systems biology; exploration of the broader implications of advancements in synthetic and systems biology; including ethical considerations and regulatory challenges and social implications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology)

Advances in Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Breeding

edited by Serik Eliby, Nikolai Borisjuk and

Yuri Shavrukov

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1944 | Submission Open

Keywords: doubled haploidy; genetic engineering; genome editing; genomics; marker-assisted selection; molecular breeding; molecular markers; plant biotechnology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Science)

Structure, Activity, and Function of Protein Methyltransferases: 2nd Edition

edited by