Xenobiotics and Kidney Health: Emerging Challenges in Toxicology and Therapeutics
A special issue of Journal of Xenobiotics (ISSN 2039-4713).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 454
Special Issue Editors
Interests: clinical nephrology; chronic kidney disease; glomerulonephritis; diabetic kidney disease; renal tubular acidosis; acute kidney injury; dialysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: onconephrology; acute and chronic kidney injury; hemodialysis and extracorporeal blood purification (including hemoadsorption) in acute and chronic patients; nephrotoxicity of anticancer therapies and dose optimization; vascular access in dialysis; uremic toxins and middle molecules; patient-reported outcomes and symptom burden in renal disease; clinical epidemiology in nephrology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The kidney plays a central role in xenobiotic elimination, making it both a critical detoxification organ and a vulnerable target for chemical-induced injury. As our environment becomes increasingly complex with pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, environmental pollutants, and emerging contaminants, understanding the interplay between xenobiotics and renal health has never been more urgent.
Over the last two decades, nephrotoxicology has evolved from descriptive pathology to mechanistic investigation, incorporating advances in molecular biology, toxicogenomics, and computational modeling. We now recognize that xenobiotic-induced kidney injury involves complex interactions between transport systems, metabolic pathways, oxidative stress responses, and repair mechanisms. Simultaneously, the kidney's role in drug disposition has profound implications for therapeutic efficacy and safety, particularly in vulnerable populations with impaired renal function.
This Special Issue aims to address the emerging challenges at the intersection of xenobiotics, toxicology, and renal therapeutics. We welcome contributions that advance our understanding of how environmental and pharmaceutical agents affect kidney structure and function, and how we can better predict, prevent, and treat xenobiotic-induced nephrotoxicity.
We are particularly interested in studies exploring novel mechanisms of nephrotoxicity, including mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, epigenetic modifications, and immune-mediated injury. Research on renal transporters and their role in xenobiotic disposition, drug–drug interactions, and inter-individual variability is highly encouraged. We also seek investigations into emerging renal threats, including novel psychoactive substances, nanomaterials, microplastics, PFAS compounds, and combination exposures.
Additionally, we welcome work on therapeutic innovations, such as novel biomarkers for early detection of kidney injury, protective strategies against nephrotoxicants, regenerative approaches, and personalized risk assessment tools. Studies utilizing in vitro models (kidney organoids, microphysiological systems), in silico approaches , and translational investigations linking preclinical findings to clinical outcomes are of particular value.
We invite original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and perspective pieces that advance the field of renal toxicology and therapeutics, from molecular mechanisms to clinical applications. Together, we can build a more complete understanding of how to protect kidney health in an increasingly xenobiotic-laden world.
Dr. Guido Gembillo
Dr. Matteo Floris
Guest Editors
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. Journal of Xenobiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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
- chronic kidney disease
- renal pathology
- hemodialysis
- xenobiotics
- toxins: pharmacology
- renal replacement therapy
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