The Role of Tubulin in Human Diseases
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: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 15
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tubulin polymerization inhibitors; autotaxin inhibitors; cancer; drug resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of effective and well-tolerated therapeutic strategies for complex human diseases remains a major healthcare challenge, as dysregulation of fundamental cellular processes underlies conditions ranging from cancer to neurological disorders. Tubulins are highly conserved cytoskeletal proteins that assemble into microtubules—dynamic structures essential for cell division, intracellular trafficking, cellular motility, and neuronal function. The molecular diversity of tubulin, arising from distinct isotypes (multiple α- and β-tubulin), regulatory proteins, and dynamic cellular contexts, enables fine-tuned control of microtubule organization and function across different cell types and physiological states. Alterations in tubulin structure, expression, or regulation have been implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, brain malformations, and epilepsy. In oncology, tubulin remains a validated drug target, yet clinical use of microtubule-targeting agents is limited by toxicity, lack of selectivity, and chemoresistance. Emerging drug discovery efforts—including isotype-selective inhibitors, multitarget approaches, modulation of the tubulin code, and targeted drug delivery systems—aim to overcome these challenges.
This Special Issue invites the submission of original research articles and comprehensive reviews addressing the molecular, cellular, and translational roles of tubulin in human health and disease. Contributions spanning fundamental tubulin biology, tubulin isotypes and regulation, disease mechanisms, microtubule dynamics, drug discovery and design, chemoresistance, and structure–function relationships are particularly encouraged. In addition, studies focusing on emerging therapeutic strategies—including targeted drug delivery systems, prodrugs, nanocarriers, antibody–drug conjugates, and combination therapies aimed at improving the efficacy and safety of tubulin-targeting agents—are highly encouraged.
Dr. Souvik Banerjee
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- tubulin
- microtubules
- medicinal chemistry
- chemotherapy
- drug discovery and design
- drug target
- cancer
- chemoresistance
- microtubule-targeting agents
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