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Life publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Exploring the Mechanisms of the Effects of Microplastics and Nanomaterials on Biological Physiological Functions

edited by Yung-Li Wang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 391 | Submission Open

Keywords: microplastics; nanomaterials; environmental toxicology; oxidative stress; physiological function

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Cell Asymmetry and Polarity: Guiding Cellular Behavior and Development: Second Edition

edited by

Tadahiro Nagaoka

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 201 | Submission Open

Keywords: cell asymmetry; cell polarity; tissue morphogenesis; planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway; Wnt pathway; therapeutic implications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering)

Liver Disease: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatments

edited by Hsien-Hui Chung

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 104 | Submission Open

Keywords: alcoholic hepatitis; artificial intelligence; biomarkers; clinical trials; gut– liver axis; liver cancer; metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis; molecular targets; pharmacotherapeutic mechanisms; therapeutic strategies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

The Role of Mitochondrial Function in Cancer and Diseases and Therapeutic Explorations

edited by

Amer Ahmed

and

Barbara Illi

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 98 | Submission Open

Keywords: cancer metabolism; mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations; oxidative stress; mitophagy and autophagy; mitochondria-targeted therapy; metabolic reprograming; mitochondrial dynamics (fusion and fission); redox biology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Advances in Female Imaging: Focus on Breast and Gynecological Diagnostics

edited by Silvia Gigli, Emanuele David and Giacomo Bonito

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 98 | Submission Open

Keywords: breast cancer; breast screening; gynecological cancer; mammography; CEM; ultrasound; MRI; PET/TC; radiomics; artificial intelligence

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Brain Health for All Ages: Leave No One Behind

edited by

Tissa Wijeratne

and Dilani Wijeratne

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 90 | Submission Open

Keywords: brain health; neurology; neurological syndromes

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Microbial Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing

edited by

Sheng Tong

Dexin Wang

and

Guirong Tang

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 87 | Submission Open

Keywords: synthetic biology tools; microbial biomanufacturing; future foods; bulk chemicals; plant natural products

(This special issue belongs to the Section Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology)

Chemical Evolutionary Pathways to Origins of Life

edited by

Claudia Huber

and Christian Seitz

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 84 | Submission Open

Keywords: origin of life; metabolism-first; early Earth; iron– sulfur world; chemical evolution ; cellularization; surface catalysis; pioneer organism

(This special issue belongs to the Section Origin of Life)

Current Updates on Equidae Breeding and Genetics

edited by

María Dolores Gómez Ortiz

and

Isabel Cervantes

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 71 | Submission Open

Keywords: complex trait; selection; animal welfare; genomic inbreeding; horse; donkey; mule

(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Science)

New Insights into Pneumonia Pathophysiology—from Lung Fibrosis to Coagulation Disorders

edited by Mihai Lazar

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 71 | Submission Open

Keywords: pneumonia pathophysiology; lung fibrosis; coagulation disorders; thromboinflammation; immune dysregulation; diagnostic biomarkers; translational medicine

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Cancer Genetics and Genomics: From Structure to Therapy

edited by Luca Járomi and Gellért Gerencsér

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 66 | Submission Open

Keywords: epigenetics; cancer therapy; multidrug resistance (MDR); accumulation; biomarkers

(This special issue belongs to the Section Genetics and Genomics)

The Biological Impacts of Fetal Alcohol Exposure

edited by Kelly J. Huffman

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open

Keywords: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; fetal alcohol syndrome; brain development; behavioral development; prenatal exposure

(This special issue belongs to the Section Reproductive and Developmental Biology)

Transformative Technologies in Liver Transplantation

edited by

Davide Ghinolfi

and

Lorenzo Petagna

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 39 | Submission Open

Keywords: liver; transplant; liver surgery; machine perfusion; radiomics; nanotechnology; 3D printing; gene editing

Advanced Machine Learning for Bio-Signal Processing and Health Monitoring

edited by

Amin Hekmatmanesh

submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 37 | Submission Open

Keywords: brain– computer interface (BCI); electroencephalogram (EEG); machine learning; biomedical signal processing; brain computer interface; health monitoring

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Mechanisms and Ecology of Migration and Homing

edited by Hynek Burda

submission deadline 1 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 59 | Submission Open

Keywords: migration; homing; navigation; spatial orientation; magnetoreception; cognitive maps; seasonality; spatial memory

(This special issue belongs to the Section Diversity and Ecology)

Advances in Endoscopic, Surgical, and Interventional Radiological Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases

edited by

Beata Jabłońska

submission deadline 6 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 5970 | Submission Open

Keywords: gastrointestinal disease; endoscopic cystogastrostomy; endoscopic biliary prosthesis; endoscopic pancreatic prosthesis; endoscopic necrosectomy; esophagectomy; gastrectomy; bowel resection; colectomy; pancreatectomy; hepatectomy; liver transplantation; gastroenterology; surgery; interventional radiology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Honeybees: Second Edition

edited by

Xiao Chen

submission deadline 9 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3215 | Submission Open

Keywords: phenomics; genetics; genomics; functional genomics; metabolomics; functional genes identification; genetics editing; genome selection; genetic evaluation; hybrid breeding; egg-laying; honey production; queen breeding; varroa resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Science)

Regulation of Cerebrovascular Resistance in Health and Disease: From Molecules to Humans

edited by

Akos Koller

submission deadline 13 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 1652 | Submission Open

Keywords: cerebral blood flow; hemodynamic forces; cerebrovascular resistance; endothelium; smooth muscle; arachidonic acid metabolites; reactive oxygen species; molecular mediators; protein and mRNA expressions; brain disease conditions; transcranial Doppler measurement; EEG; lifestyle

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Pain Epidemiology

edited by

Gergely Fehér

submission deadline 14 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 82 | Submission Open

Keywords: pain epidemiology; chronic pain; neuropathic pain; nociplastic pain; headache; migraine; orofacial pain; low back pain

(This special issue belongs to the Section Epidemiology)

Prebiotic Chemistry: The Molecular Origins of Life

edited by

Nigel Mason

submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 96 | Submission Open

Keywords: astrobiology; astrochemistry; biochemistry; computational modelling; geochemistry; metabolic pathways; lipid formation; peptide synthesis; photochemistry; radiation chemistry; RNA world; self-assembly; systems chemistry

(This special issue belongs to the Section Origin of Life)

Microbiome Dynamics: Advancing Therapeutic Development in Health and Disease

edited by

Hoonhee Seo

, Sukyung Kim and

Md Abdur Rahim

submission deadline 16 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 98 | Submission Open

Keywords: next-generation probiotics (NGPs); microbiome-based therapeutics; metagenomics and multi-omics integration; microbial biomarkers; short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs); artificial human microbiome simulators; GMP-scale production; clinical translation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Omics Approaches in Antipsychotic Pharmacology

edited by

Kyle Burghardt

submission deadline 18 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 36 | Submission Open

Keywords: antipsychotics; genomics; epigenomics; transcriptomics; lipidomics; metabolomics; proteomics; human; animal

(This special issue belongs to the Section Pharmaceutical Science)

Current Challenges in Human Space Flight

edited by

Larry D. Sanford

and

Richard A. Britten

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 12014 | Submission Open

Keywords: cognition; microgravity; sleep; stress; Martian and lunar dust; neural stem cells and progenitors

(This special issue belongs to the Section Astrobiology)

Musculoskeletal Function and Exercise Physiology: Integrative Approaches and Emerging Insights

edited by

Robert Smith

Tyler Neltner

Dimitrije Cabarkapa

and Luke Chowning

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 71 | Submission Open

Keywords: resistance exercise; aerobic exercise; neuromuscular; kinematics; kinetics; biomechanics; electromyography; imaging techniques; muscle function; motion analysis; sport performance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Mucopolysaccharidosis-Plus: From Molecular Defects to Therapeutic Strategies

edited by Zuzanna Cyske

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 33 | Submission Open

Keywords: mucopolysaccharidosis; mucopolysaccharidosis-plus syndrome; MPSPS; VPS33A; therapy; patomechanism; diagnostic; patients’ care

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Nutrition, Exercise and Stress

edited by Maleah Holland-Winkler

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 396 | Submission Open

Keywords: nutrition; exercise; stress

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

edited by

Juan Gómez Rivas

and Jesús Moreno Sierra

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 317 | Submission Open

Keywords: active surveillance; hormonal treatment; personalized medicine; prostate cancer; robotic surgery; targeted therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Gynecology Update: Modern Diagnostic Approaches and Innovative Therapies

edited by Szabolcs Várbíró,

Keszthelyi Márton

, Richárd Tóth and Balázs Lintner

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 444 | Submission Open

Keywords: gynecologic oncology; endocrinology; reproductive medicine; fertility preservation; prevention; women’ s health innovation; quality of life; personalized therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

The Link Between Food Safety and Microbiology

edited by

Babak Pakbin

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 104 | Submission Open

Keywords: food safety; food microbiology; beneficial microbes; food preservation; food safety enhancement

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Biomechanics of Aging

edited by

Márcio Fagundes Goethel

and

Filipa Sousa

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 95 | Submission Open

Keywords: aging; biomechanics; musculoskeletal; gait; balance; falls; exercise; assistive devices

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Skin Aging and Dermatosis

edited by Edwin Lephart and Zoe D. Draelos

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 86 | Submission Open

Keywords: skin aging; chronological dermal aging; photo-aging; hormone therapy; menopause; estrogen-deficient skin; dermatosis; skin conditions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Conservative Management of Chronic Disease—2nd Edition

edited by

Jonathan Sinclair

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 77 | Submission Open

Keywords: chronic disease; conservative management; trial protocol; clinical research; interventions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Oral Health: Microbial Dynamics and Antibiotic Stewardship

edited by Kristina Peroš

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 63 | Submission Open

Keywords: oral health; oral microbiota; microbial dynamics; antibiotic stewardship

(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbiology)

Pharmacological Advances in Anticancer, Antiparasitic, and Immunomodulatory Therapies

edited by Cássio Santana Meira and Vinicius Pinto Costa Rocha

submission deadline 26 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 40 | Submission Open

Keywords: anticancer drugs; antiparasitic agents; immunomodulatory therapy; drug development

(This special issue belongs to the Section Pharmaceutical Science)

Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases

edited by

Emina Karahmet Sher

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3822 | Submission Open

Keywords: chronic inflammatory diseases; autoimmune diseases; biomarker identification; innovative biologics; small-molecule inhibitors; gene editing technologies; cell-based therapeutics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Acute Kidney Events in Intensive Care

edited by

Silvia De Rosa

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3248 | Submission Open

Keywords: acute kidney events; ICU; critically ill; RRT; outcome; acute kidney disease; chronic kidney disease; biomarkers

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Feature Papers in Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology 2025

edited by

Pasquale Stano

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1878 | Submission Open

Keywords: design and construction of synthetic biological systems; innovations in the creation of synthetic organisms; genetic circuits; and biomolecular devices; bottom-up synthetic biology; cell-free synthetic biology; tissue engineering and organoids; bioorthogonal parts; devices; systems; microcompartmentalized systems with soft or hard interfaces; theoretical considerations about synthetic biology; synthetic biology intersection with systems chemistry and bioorganic chemistry; computational modeling and simulation of biological processes; advances in computational tools and models that enhance our understanding of biological processes and systems; metabolic engineering and synthetic pathways; development of novel approaches for the production of biofuels; pharmaceuticals; and other valuable compounds; synthetic biology for approaching evolutionary problems; artificial evolution and in vitro evolution; optogenetics and related techniques; gene editing technologies; applications; and developments; education in synthetic and systems biology; cutting-edge techniques and applications of CRISPR and other gene editing tools; systems biology approaches to understanding complex biological networks; mathematical aspects of systems biology approaches; artificial photosynthesis; applications of synthetic biology in medicine; agriculture; and industry; practical applications of synthetic and systems biology in various sectors; including healthcare; agriculture; and industrial biotechnology; ethical; legal; and social implications of synthetic and systems biology; exploration of the broader implications of advancements in synthetic and systems biology; including ethical considerations and regulatory challenges and social implications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology)

Structure, Activity, and Function of Protein Methyltransferases: 2nd Edition

edited by

Albert Jeltsch

and

Arunkumar Dhayalan

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 577 | Submission Open

(This special issue belongs to the Section Proteins and Proteomics)

What Is Life?—2nd Edition

edited by

Jacques Fantini

and André Brack

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 141 | Submission Open

Keywords: definition of life; origins of life; artificial intelligence; alphafold; synthetic biology; theoretical biology; quantum biology; water; time; and space; membrane systems; electrostatic potential; DNA; RNA; epigenetics; mutations; molecular interactions; chirality; artificial intelligence and life processes; early evolution of life; coevolution

Advances in Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Breeding

edited by Serik Eliby, Nikolai Borisjuk and

Yuri Shavrukov

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 59 | Submission Open

Keywords: doubled haploidy; genetic engineering; genome editing; genomics; marker-assisted selection; molecular breeding; molecular markers; plant biotechnology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Science)

Advances in Vascular Medicine: From Endovascular Innovations to Pathophysiological Insights

edited by

Edit Dósa

submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 43 | Submission Open

Keywords: endovascular therapy; vascular pathophysiology; intravascular imaging; atherosclerosis; precision vascular medicine

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Innovative Applications of Extracellular Vesicles: From Diagnostics to Drug Delivery

edited by

Alessandra Lo Cicero

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 7671 | Submission Open

Keywords: extracellular vesicles; exosomes; cancer; cardiovascular diseases; neurodegenerative diseases; biomarkers; diagnostics; cell-cell communication; drug delivery; therapeutics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Recent Insights in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment of Glomerular Disorders

edited by Adrian Constantin Covic and

Gener Ismail

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 7 articles | Viewed by 6832 | Submission Open

Keywords: glomerular disorders; pathology; kidney biopsy; immunology; immunosuppresion; vasculitis

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Clinical Manifestations and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases: 2nd Edition

edited by

Stelvio Tonello

and

Daniele Sola

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3111 | Submission Open

Keywords: autoimmunity; immunobiology; vaccine; leucocytes; immune system

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Atherosclerosis: Pathogenesis, Clinical Advances and Future Perspectives

edited by

Damiano D’Ardes

and

Ilaria Rossi

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2674 | Submission Open

Keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular risk; hypercholesterolemia; hypertension; inflammation; cardiovascular prevention

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Advances in Veterinary Infectious Diseases: Pathogenesis, Diagnostics, and Control Strategies

edited by

Hye-Mi Lee

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 765 | Submission Open

Keywords: veterinary infectious diseases; zoonoses; animal health; pathogen transmission; vaccine development; immunology; antiviral strategies; emerging pathogens; diagnostic tools; public health

(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Science)

Regulation of Cellular Signaling Pathways in the Metabolic Syndrome

edited by Robert H. Newman and Danielle L. Schmitt

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 520 | Submission Open

Keywords: metabolic syndrome (MetS); cellular signaling pathways; insulin signaling and resistance; nutrient-sensing pathways; inflammation and immune signaling

(This special issue belongs to the Section Physiology and Pathology)

Advances in Novel Biomarkers and Emerging Immune/Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors

edited by

Weijie Ma

and Liang Lu

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 310 | Submission Open

Keywords: solid tumor; biomarker; molecular targets; tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); oncogenic driver mutation; acquired resistance; precision oncology; cancer; next-generation sequence

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Decoding Hematologic Malignancies by Clinical Cytometry: From Diagnosis to Precision Medicine

edited by Yijie Liu and Huanbin Zhao

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 112 | Submission Open

Keywords: hematologic malignancies; diagnostic advancements; minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring; emerging technologies; translational applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Medical Research)

Structural Biology: Mechanisms, Technologies, and Insights

edited by