Molecules | Feature Papers from the First Half of 2025 in the “Chemical Biology” Section

1. “The Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as an Essential Mediator in Neuronal Functions and the Therapeutic Potential of Its Mimetics for Neuroprotection in Neurologic and Psychiatric Disorders”
by Tadahiro Numakawa and Ryutaro Kajihara
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040848
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/848

2. “The Role of Purine Metabolism and Uric Acid in Postnatal Neurologic Development”
by Lauren N. Mileti and James D. Baleja
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040839
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/839

3. “Ligand-Induced Biased Activation of GPCRs: Recent Advances and New Directions from In Silico Approaches”
by Shaima Hashem, Alexis Dougha and Pierre Tufféry
Molecules 2025, 30(5), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30051047
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/5/1047

4. “Protein O-Fucosyltransferases: Biological Functions and Molecular Mechanisms in Mammals”
by Huilin Hao, Benjamin M. Eberand, Mark Larance and Robert S. Haltiwanger
Molecules 2025, 30(7), 1470; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30071470
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/7/1470

5. “Recent Progress and Potential of G4 Ligands in Cancer Immunotherapy”
by Jiahui Lin, Zhu Gong, Yingyue Lu, Jiongheng Cai, Junjie Zhang, Jiaheng Tan, Zhishu Huang and Shuobin Chen
Molecules 2025, 30(8), 1805; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30081805
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/8/1805

6. “The Counteracting Effect of Chrysin on Dietary Fructose-Induced Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) in Rats with a Focus on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism”
by Gabriela Campanher, Nelson Andrade, Joanne Lopes, Cláudia Silva, Maria João Pena, Ilda Rodrigues and Fátima Martel
Molecules 2025, 30(2), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30020380
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/2/380

7. “Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis: Serum Biomarkers and the Potential for Aptamer-Based Biosensors”
by Weisi He, Jingyu Cui, Xue-Yan Wang, Ryan H. P. Siu and Julian A. Tanner
Molecules 2025, 30(9), 2012; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30092012
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/9/2012

8. “Umbrella Refinement of Ensembles—An Alternative View of Ensemble Optimization”
by Johannes Stöckelmaier, Tümay Capraz and Chris Oostenbrink
Molecules 2025, 30(11), 2449; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112449
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/11/2449

9. “Bond Valence Sum Parameters for Analyzing Pyranopterin Tungsten Enzyme Structures”
by Jesse Lepluart and Martin L. Kirk
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040871
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/871

10. “Caloric Restriction Mimetics as Priming Agents of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretome to Enhance Regenerative Responses to Parkinson’s Disease”
by Bárbara Carneiro-Pereira, Filipa Ferreira-Antunes, Jonas Campos, António J. Salgado and Belém Sampaio-Marques
Molecules 2025, 30(11), 2260; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112260
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/11/2260

11. “Anticancer Quinolinol Small Molecules Target Multiple Pathways to Promote Cell Death and Eliminate Melanoma Cells Resistant to BRAF Inhibitors”
by Xinjiang Wang, Rati Lama, Alexis D. Kelleher, Erika C. Rizzo, Samuel L. Galster, Chao Xue, Yali Zhang, Jianmin Wang, Jun Qu and Sherry R. Chemler
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2696; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132696
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2696