New Advances in Osteoarthritis 2.0

Dear Colleagues,

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of joint disease and the leading cause of disability as we age due to stiffness, pain, biomechanical failure, and impaired joint movement. Despite its high prevalence and burden on the healthcare system, no suitable treatments currently exist that can halt disease progression, promote cartilage repair and regeneration, or cure the disease. Furthermore, no specific diagnostic biomarkers have been identified for OA that can identify the disease at its earliest stages. With the substantial progress in molecular biology, genetics, genomics, and animal models of OA, in the last decade, OA has evolved as a disease where systemic inflammation and the immune system significantly modify the disease, classifying it also as an inflammatory disease. Thus, disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) are rapidly evolving, and attention is shifting to new targets that include transcription factors, growth factors, and receptors. To help to promote advancements in the field of OA research and disseminate new discoveries and information relevant to OA diagnosis, treatment, and care, we seek manuscripts that present novel basic, pre-clinical, and clinical research in the OA field that includes not only positive but also negative results. The rapid review and fast-tracked publication of your work will help to advance our knowledge and understanding of OA toward improving patient care.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:                   

• Osteoarthritis                   
• Post traumatic osteoarthritis                   
• Joint Inflammation                   
• Cartilage and chondrocyte function                   
• Growth factors and other secreted molecules that influence cartilage anabolism and catabolism                   
• Cartilage–bone interaction                   
• Cartilage regeneration and repair                   
• Synovium

Dr. Gabriela Loots
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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.