From DNA Damage to Cell Death: Emerging Drug Targets and Therapeutic Opportunities
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2
Special Issue Editors
Interests: anticancer activity; apoptosis; cell death; combination therapy; cu-proptosis; cytotoxicity; DNA damage; DNA repair; drug design; ferroptosis; necroptosis; proliferation; pyra-zoles; tetrazoles; triazines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: anticancer activity; apoptosis; cell death; combination therapy; cytotoxicity; DNA damage; DNA repair; plant-derived compounds; plant extracts; proliferation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
DNA damage is a fundamental biological event that can lead to genomic instability, cellular senescence, and programmed cell death. Understanding how cells detect, signal, and repair DNA lesions is crucial not only for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging, but also for identifying vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. Recent advances in molecular biology have revealed intricate networks linking DNA damage response (DDR) pathways to cellular fate decisions, including apoptosis, ferroptosis, and necroptosis and others.
This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research and reviews focused on the molecular interplay between DNA damage, cell death pathways, and novel therapeutic strategies. We welcome contributions that explore emerging drug targets, the design of DNA damage-inducing or repair-modulating agents, and translational approaches that bridge preclinical insights with clinical applications. Studies addressing the role of DDR in chemoresistance, immune modulation, and tumor microenvironment adaptation are particularly encouraged. Together, these works will provide an integrative understanding of how manipulating DDR can yield innovative treatments for diverse diseases.
Dr. Mateusz Kciuk
Dr. Beata Marciniak
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- apoptosis
- cancer therapy
- cell death pathways
- chemoresistance
- DNA damage response (DDR)
- DNA repair inhibitors
- drug discovery
- ferroptosis
- genomic instability
- therapeutic targets
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