Molecular Immunology of Infectious Diseases
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 139
Special Issue Editor
Interests: vaccines; infectious diseases; molecular immunology; epitopes; neglected diseases; biochemistry; molecular biology; proteins; structure; cell biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Molecular Immunology of Infectious Diseases is an interdisciplinary field combining the concepts of immunology, molecular biology, and microbiology. This field seeks to understand the mechanisms underlying interactions between pathogens and the immune system, focusing on how specific molecules involved in immune recognition, activation, and regulation can be harnessed to develop vaccines and therapies, as well as immunological, diagnostic, and disease control strategies.
The immune system is the body's primary defense against pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Molecular immunity identifies key molecules that regulate these responses, such as receptors, cytokines, chemokines, and intracellular signaling molecules. With the advancement of sequencing, protein crystallography, and high-resolution microscopy technologies, we are on the brink of exciting developments that will allow us to explore how these molecular interactions occur at the cellular and systemic levels in even greater depth.
We are pleased to invite you to the Special Issue "Molecular Immunology of Infectious Diseases" that is currently being organized for IJMS (ISSN 1422-0067; IF 4.9). This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for immunologists, biochemists, life science researchers, physicians, clinicians, researchers, and other professionals to understand how the immune system detects, responds, and adapts to infections. This knowledge could transform the global approach to prevention and treatment, especially in the face of challenges such as pandemics, drug resistance, and chronic infections. This Special Issue covers (1) molecular mechanisms in innate immunity (pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including receptors such as TLRs (Toll-like receptors), NLRs (N-like receptors), NOD-like receptors, and RLRs (RIG-I-like receptors), which detect PAMPs (pathogen-associated molecular patterns) and DAMPs (damage-associated molecular patterns). Cytokines and chemokines (signaling molecules such as IL-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 that coordinate early inflammatory responses) and the complement system are also featured. Additionally, (2) adaptive immunity is also covered, involving molecular specificity (T cell receptors (TCRs); recognizing peptides presented by MHC molecules (class I and II); immunoglobulins; co-stimulatory molecules (CD28, CTLA-4 and PD-1); and pathogen immune evasion strategies (antigenic variation; immune suppression; intracellular survival). Finally, (3) immunomodulation-based therapies are included; the manipulation of the molecular biology of the immune system may offer new approaches to treating persistent and chronic infections.
Dr. Salvatore Giovanni De Simone
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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
- molecular immunology
- infectious diseases
- innate immunity
- adaptive immunity
- immunomodulation-based therapies
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
