Targeted Protein Degradation: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Applications
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2026) | Viewed by 573
Editor
Interests: rational design of antiviral drugs, e.g., virus entry/fusion inhibitors, protease inhibitors, etc.; computer-assisted drug design; structure-based drug design; ligand-based drug design; virtual screening; QSAR; 3D-QSAR; pharmacophore mapping
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, the landscape of drug discovery has undergone a dramatic transformation with the emergence of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs). These innovative small-molecule degraders represent a groundbreaking therapeutic strategy that harnesses the power of the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) to eliminate disease-related proteins selectively. Unlike conventional inhibitors, which merely obstruct protein activity, PROTACs achieve the complete and enduring degradation of their targets. This capability promises significantly improved pharmacological outcomes, particularly for targets that are notoriously difficult to drug or are resistant to existing therapies.
This Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore the rapidly evolving field of induced protein degradation as a transformative therapeutic strategy. This collection highlights the molecular underpinnings of protein quality control, including the ubiquitin–proteasome and lysosomal pathways, and reveals how these cellular processes are being harnessed and engineered through innovative modalities such as PROTACs, molecular glues, and autophagy-targeting chimeras (AUTACs, LYTACs, and ATTECs).
Emphasis is placed on the mechanistic insights that drive selective target engagement and degradation, the structural and biochemical principles underlying degrader design, and the translation of these discoveries into clinical candidates across oncology, neurodegeneration, and immunology. By connecting fundamental molecular biology with therapeutic innovation, this Special Issue underscores how targeted protein degradation is reshaping drug discovery, offering new solutions for “undruggable” proteins and redefining the boundaries of precision medicine.
Dr. Asim Debnath
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- targeted protein degradation
- ubiquitin–proteasome system
- PROTAC
- drug design
- medicinal chemistry
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