Photosensitizers for Photodynamic Therapy: From Molecular Design to Application
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2026 | Viewed by 3
Special Issue Editors
Interests: organic synthesis; fine chemistry; medicinal chemistry; pharmaceutical chemistry; drug development; porphyrin; photochemistry; photodynamic therapy; antimicrobial; ceramic materials; decarbonization; synthetic fuels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: porphyrin derivatives and analogues; cyclo-addition reactions; photodynamic applications; DSSC cells; antimicrobials; antitumoral
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: photochemistry; chromophores; light-activated systems; donor–acceptor structures; covalent and noncovalent chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-activated treatment modality that relies on the generation of reactive oxygen species by photosensitizers (PSs) to induce selective damage to targeted cells and tissues. PDT has shown considerable promise in the treatment of cancer, infections, and other pathologies due to its spatiotemporal precision and minimal invasiveness. However, broader clinical translation remains limited by several challenges, including insufficient tissue penetration, suboptimal selectivity, and limited therapeutic efficacy in complex biological environments.
The development of next-generation PSs has been central to overcoming these limitations. Advances in molecular design, photophysical tuning, and formulation strategies have enabled the creation of PSs with improved solubility, photostability, biocompatibility, and target specificity. These innovations span a broad range of chemical classes, including porphyrins, phthalocyanines, BODIPY derivatives, transition metal complexes, and organic dyes. Integration into nanocarriers, conjugation with targeting moieties, and the development of activatable or multifunctional systems have further expanded the scope of PDT in both preclinical and clinical settings.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and comprehensive reviews addressing the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of PSs for PDT approach. Topics of interest include new PS scaffolds, delivery strategies, multimodal platforms, sustainable synthetic methodologies, and applications in oncology, antimicrobial therapy, imaging, and more. Contributions that highlight the translation of PSs from molecular innovation to real-world therapeutic use are encouraged.
Dr. Carlos Monteiro
Dr. M. Amparo F. Faustino
Dr. Leandro M. O. Lourenço
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- photodynamic therapy (PDT)
- photosensitizers (PS)
- reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- molecular design
- nanocarriers
- porphyrins and analogs
- targeted drug delivery
- translational medicine
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