Molecular Methods in Antibiotics Discovery

Dear Colleagues,

The introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice in the 20th century has revolutionized modern medicine, extending the average human lifespan by more than two decades. The discovery of penicillin in 1928 was the beginning of the golden age of antibiotics discovery which was peaking in the 1950s. However, today, only a few new antibiotics are in the clinical trials pipeline.

Antibiotics are mostly derived from natural sources, and antibiotic resistance is known to have existed since prehistoric times. Extensive use of antibiotics has resulted in a strong selective pressure and, consequently, the advancement of resistant bacterial strains, leading to the current antibiotic resistance crisis. New antibiotic compounds are urgently needed.

Financial incentives for the development of new antibiotics are limited, as antibiotics are usually inexpensive and only used for a short time. Additionally, new antibiotics are often reserved as a last resort, potentially limiting their use even further. This highlights the need for publicly funded academic laboratories to take on the task of antibiotics discovery.

This Special Issue seeks manuscripts that describe new compounds with antibiotic activity. Their molecular structure should be elucidated at least partially using analytical methods. A description of possible mechanisms of action is desirable.

Dr. Charlotte A. Huber
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Antibiotics 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 2900 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.