Rare Diseases in Times of Public Calamity: Molecular Insights
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 June 2026 | Viewed by 145
Special Issue Editor
Interests: rare diseases; public health emergencies; molecular mechanisms of disease; health sciences; epidemiology; translational medicine; resilience in healthcare systems; global health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Rare diseases constitute a significant challenge to healthcare systems globally, particularly during periods of public calamity such as pandemics, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises. These conditions, often neglected due to their low prevalence, demand urgent attention when resources are strained and vulnerable populations face disproportionate risks.
Given this background, we are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS), whose aim is to explore the molecular, clinical, and public health aspects of rare diseases in contexts of emergency and crisis. This Special Issue will highlight the importance of preparedness, resilience, and innovation in addressing rare diseases under extraordinary circumstances, aligning with the journal’s scope in molecular sciences and translational research.
Specifically, the aims of this Special Issue are as follows:
- To investigate molecular mechanisms and pathophysiology of rare diseases under stress conditions.
- To examine the epidemiological impact of public calamities on incidence, prevalence, and disease burden.
- To assess diagnostic challenges and patient care during crises.
- To explore innovative therapeutic strategies and biotechnological approaches.
- To evaluate health policies, surveillance systems, and ethical considerations in emergency scenarios.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Molecular biology and genetics of rare diseases.
- Epidemiology and surveillance of rare diseases during public health emergencies.
- Biomarkers and diagnostic innovations.
- Therapeutic development and drug repurposing.
- Health system responses and resilience strategies.
- Patient-centered care and ethical challenges.
- Global health perspectives and policy frameworks.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Fernando Augusto Lima Marson
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.
Keywords
- rare diseases
- molecular mechanisms
- epidemiology
- public health emergencies
- resilience
- biomarkers
- translational medicine
- therapeutic innovation
- surveillance
- global health
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