Lipidomics in Marine Microalgae and Seaweeds: Applications and Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Marine microalgae and seaweeds stand out for their immense potential as rich sources of valuable compounds, with lipids being pivotal among them. These key structural and functional biomolecules exhibit remarkable diversity, encompassing various classes characterised by distinct structural features. Ranging from fatty acids and sterols to more complex lipids such as phospholipids, glycolipids, and betaine lipids, each class contributes unique functional properties contingent upon its structural characteristics. Of particular significance, algae lipids emerge as a prominent source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), renowned for their association with health benefits. However, the significance of lipids extends beyond their role as PUFA sources. Algae lipids harbour bioactive properties and serve as vast reservoirs of phytochemicals, a field yet to be fully explored.

The unique properties of algae lipids make them particularly intriguing for applications in various fields, including nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. As the lipidomics field has experienced notable advancements in recent years, exploring the lipid profiles and bioactivity properties of marine algae has become paramount.

This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring lipid-related topics specific to marine microalgae and seaweeds, particularly those employing lipidomics approaches. The scope encompasses the diversity of lipid profiles, the identification of novel lipid species, lipid metabolism, and the functional roles of lipids in these marine organisms. The manuscripts included in this Special Issue will delve into crucial aspects, including extraction methodologies, profiling techniques, and the evaluation of the biological activities of lipids recovered from biomass as by-products.

Dr. Diana Lopes
Dr. Ana S. P. Moreira
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 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. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2900 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.

• lipidomics
• algae lipids
• microalgae and seaweeds
• lipid metabolism
• fatty acids