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Targeted Therapies and Biomarker Discovery in Health and Disease
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Targeted Therapies and Biomarker Discovery in Health and Disease

A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 June 2026) | Viewed by 2533

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Rodrigo Pinheiro Araldi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Postgraduate Program in Endocrinology and Metabology, Paulista School of Medicine of the Federal University of São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
Interests: therapeutical targets; biomarkers; extracellular vesicles; oncology; neurorology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of Multi-Omics technologies has facilitated advances in targeted therapies and the identification of biomarkers in medicine, particularly within oncology and neurology. In cancer treatment, molecularly targeted agents have supported precision medicine approaches designed to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity. Biomarkers, including genetic mutations, protein expression profiles, and circulating tumor DNA, play significant roles in informing therapeutic decisions and monitoring disease status. In neurology, the identification of biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington’s, Parkinson's, and lateral amyotrophic sclerosis is contributing to earlier diagnosis and supporting research into disease-modifying treatments. Targeted interventions informed by molecular and cellular mechanisms are being evaluated for conditions that previously lacked effective treatment options.

Dr. Rodrigo Pinheiro Araldi
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. Current Issues in Molecular Biology 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 2200 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

  • multi-omics technologies
  • targeted therapies
  • biomarkers
  • oncology
  • neurology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 484 KB  
Article
Total Antioxidant Capacity and Total Oxidative Capacity in Multi-Modal Opioid-Based Therapy for Non-Cancer Pain: Analysis of Redox Status
by Urszula Kosciuczuk, Piotr Jakubow, Marcin Talalaj and Katarzyna Grabowska
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(5), 437; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48050437 - 23 Apr 2026
Viewed by 302
Abstract
Current scientific reports on pain pharmacotherapy focus on the side effects of opioid medications related to dysregulation of the oxidative–antioxidant balance and immunomodulation. Initial observations concerned the use of opioids in the treatment of acute postoperative and cancer pain. Little is known about [...] Read more.
Current scientific reports on pain pharmacotherapy focus on the side effects of opioid medications related to dysregulation of the oxidative–antioxidant balance and immunomodulation. Initial observations concerned the use of opioids in the treatment of acute postoperative and cancer pain. Little is known about oxidative stress modulation in multi-modal opioid-based analgesia for chronic non-cancer pain. The aim of this study was to describe oxidative stress using plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative capacity (TOC), to assess whether these metrics are dependent on pain intensity and the scheme of analgesia. The study group consisted of patients with chronic low back pain, who were divided under the following treatments: multi-modal opioid-based therapy (n = 42), monotherapy with opioids (n = 28), and the control group (n = 11). A significantly lower TAC was observed in the study group compared to the monotherapy and control groups (220 µmol/L vs. 295 µmol/L, p = 0.02 vs. 399 µmol/L, p = 0.01). TOC was significantly lower in the polytherapy group compared to the monotherapy group (594 µmol/L vs. 723 µmol/L, p = 0.0002). A significantly lower TAC was observed in the typical analgesia scheme compared to the adjuvant analgesia model (260 µmol/L vs. 339 µmol/L, p = 0.01). The TAC in the severe pain classification was significantly lower than in the moderate group (p = 0.03). Multi-modal therapy with opioids significantly reduced oxidative activity compared to monotherapy but did not improve antioxidant capacity. Opioid-based pain therapy combined with adjuvant analgesics produced better antioxidant properties, and the antioxidant capacity was lower in severe pain scores. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapies and Biomarker Discovery in Health and Disease)
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Review

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21 pages, 1076 KB  
Review
Alpha-Fetoprotein as a Biomarker in Pregnancy: From Genetic Disorders to Obstetric Complications
by Shaqraa Musawi
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(5), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48050534 - 20 May 2026
Viewed by 229
Abstract
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein primarily produced by the fetal liver and yolk sac during development. It is a multifaceted biomarker with significant applications in the prenatal screening of congenital abnormalities, cancer, and other disorders. The level of AFP in maternal blood may [...] Read more.
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein primarily produced by the fetal liver and yolk sac during development. It is a multifaceted biomarker with significant applications in the prenatal screening of congenital abnormalities, cancer, and other disorders. The level of AFP in maternal blood may indicate several obstetric concerns and complications during pregnancy. Atypical AFP levels are commonly utilized as a biomarker for detecting fetal anomalies, placental complications, and other pregnancy-related issues. These findings raise concerns regarding the effectiveness of screening maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) as a primary indicator of pregnancy problems and underscore the need for further investigation into the functional role of AFP throughout pregnancy. The measurement of MS-AFP has been utilized for the past four decades. It is anticipated that MS-AFP measurement will continue to be utilized as a component of integrated or sequential tests for chromosomal abnormalities and may serve as a prognostic indicator for adverse obstetric outcomes. Critically, whether AFP functions solely as a passive marker or plays active biological roles in pregnancy physiology and pathology remains unresolved, necessitating additional mechanistic investigation and discourse. This review consolidates critical data from numerous studies on AFP, focusing specifically on its diagnostic and prognostic applications for congenital abnormalities and problems during pregnancy. This review also identifies key research gaps regarding the functional biology of AFP, particularly whether AFP functions as a passive biomarker or an active participant in the pathophysiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapies and Biomarker Discovery in Health and Disease)
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30 pages, 1899 KB  
Review
Parkinson’s Disease: From Metabolism to Genetics—A Comprehensive Review
by Cauan Duarte, Edislane Barreiros de Souza, João Rafael Dias-Pinto and Rodrigo Pinheiro Araldi
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(3), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48030254 - 26 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1577
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which metabolic, inflammatory and proteostatic disturbances converge to drive dopaminergic neuron loss and widespread network failure. In this narrative review, we synthesize clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence to organize PD pathophysiology around three interconnected [...] Read more.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which metabolic, inflammatory and proteostatic disturbances converge to drive dopaminergic neuron loss and widespread network failure. In this narrative review, we synthesize clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence to organize PD pathophysiology around three interconnected metabolic axes: mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired glucose and lipid metabolism; chronic oxidative stress; and glial reprogramming and neuroinflammation, with α-synuclein acting as a central integrator at their interface. We then map how currently available dopaminergic, neuromodulatory and rehabilitative therapies interact with these axes, largely providing downstream symptomatic compensation while leaving core metabolic and inflammatory drivers only partially addressed. Next, we review RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and related transcriptomic studies in human brain and peripheral tissues, highlighting convergent differentially expressed genes in mitochondrial, synaptic, immune and proteostasis pathways, as well as major methodological challenges and opportunities for molecular subtyping and biomarker discovery. Together, these lines of evidence support a systems-level view of PD in which α-synuclein–centered metabolic failure and glial dysregulation are key therapeutic targets and in which high-quality RNA-Seq, integrated with advanced bioinformatics, may help define biologically grounded PD endotypes and accelerate the development of truly disease-modifying interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapies and Biomarker Discovery in Health and Disease)
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