Special Issues

Marine Drugs 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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Marine Bioactive Agents with Anticancer Potential: Discovery and Molecular Mechanisms
edited by Jose Diaz-Chavez
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 5828 | Submission Open
Keywords: anticancer agents; marine natural products; cancer; chemoresistance; tumor relapse; organoids; drug development; models in vitro/in vivo; co-cultures; biological activity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Omics Approaches in Marine Compound Discovery
edited by
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 935 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine natural products; omics technology; high-throughput screening; anti-inflammation; biological products; pharmacology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
A ‘One-Health Focus’ on Natural Marine Toxins
edited by Zhijun Tan and Jixing Peng
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 208 | Submission Open
Keywords: harmful algae blooming; risk assessment; toxicity; oxidative stress responses; multi-omics analysis; immune defense response; bivalve
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Toxins)
Marine Proteins: Biological Activities and Applications
edited by
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 126 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine proteins; biological activities; biotechnological applications; marine-derived bioactive; marine enzymes; functional foods; pharmaceuticals; cosmeceuticals; protein characterization; sustainable biorefineries
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Advanced Analytical Methods for Marine Natural Product Discovery
edited by
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 95 | Submission Open
Keywords: analytical methods; marine natural products; LC-MS; NMR; metabolomics; molecular networking
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Omics Technologies and Marine Microbial Natural Product Discovery
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4902 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine; microbial natural products; omics; genomics; metabolomics; biosynthetic; multi-omics; metabolomics; proteomics; transcriptomics; microbiomics; microorganism
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Bioactive Compounds from Challenging Marine Environments
edited by Seulah Lee
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4900 | Submission Open
Keywords: natural products; extreme marine ecosystems; novel bioactive compounds; marine chemical diversity; structural elucidation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Structural Studies on Marine Natural Products)
Conotoxins: Detection, Classification and Potential Therapeutic Benefits
edited by and Rilei Yu
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4701 | Submission Open
Keywords: conotoxins; peptide therapeutics; targeting receptors; pharmacology; action mechanism; drug discovery; structure activity relationship; binding modes
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Toxins)
Bio-Active Components from Marine Sponge
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4579 | Submission Open
Keywords: sponges; isolation; synthesis; bioactivity; anti-cancer; anti-infective; human health; animal health; eco-friendly solution; chemical ecology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)
Marine-Derived Polymers for Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery Applications
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4266 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine polysaccharides; marine proteins and peptides; tissue engineering; drug delivery; biomedical applications; marine-derived polymeric materials: manufacturing techniques for processing: 3D printing; freeze-drying; electrospinning; coating techniques; etc.; functionalization incorporation of new functional groups; composites and hybrid materials (organic/inorganic moieties); design strategies: porous platforms; scaffolds; fibers; capsules; nanoparticles; films; coatings; etc.
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)
Marine Omics for Drug Discovery and Development, 2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3772 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine genome; omics technology; marine natural products; marine drug discovery; high-throughput screening; computer-aided drug discovery/design; anti-disease; anti-cancer; anti-infectious; anti-inflammation; biological products; pharmacology; clinical outcome; AI-based drug discovery
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Marine Bioactive Compound Discovery Through OSMAC Approach—2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3467 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine microorganisms; secondary metabolites; OSMAC; epigenetic; cryptic; bioactivity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Algae-Powered Skincare: Innovations in Marine-Derived Cosmeceuticals submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2250 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine macroalgae; cosmeceuticals; bioactive compounds; skincare; anti-aging; antioxidants; hyperpigmentation; UV protection; sustainable extraction; dermatological applications
Selected Papers from the 2025 Symposium on Marine Microbiology in China submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2032 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine microorganisms; marine natural products; marine toxins; biosynthesis; chemical ecology; marine biotechnology; molecular biology; artificial intelligence
Diversity of Marine Fungi as a Source of Bioactive Natural Products, 3rd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1940 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine fungus; bioactivity; natural products; biosynthesis; cytotoxicity; antimicrobial activity; deep sea
(This special issue belongs to the Section Structural Studies on Marine Natural Products)
Marine Algal Biotechnology and Applications—2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 776 | Submission Open
Keywords: microalgae; seaweed; alternative protein sources; fatty acids; high-value compounds; biofuels; biomaterials; sustainability; circularity; biotechnologies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Marine-Derived Bioactive Compounds with Potential Applications for Retinal Health
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 728 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine-derived compounds; retina; retinal pigment epithelium; age-related macular degeneration; antioxidants; anti-inflammatory mechanisms; neuroprotection
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Bioprospecting of Marine Microalgae
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 364 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine microalgae; bioprospecting; biomass valorization; nutraceuticals; applications
Biotechnological Applications of Marine Enzymes, 2nd Edition submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 260 | Submission Open
Keywords: enzymes; heterologous expression; marine organisms; omics technologies; genome mining; bioactivity screening; protein structure; biotechnological applications
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds in Marine Algae
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 204 | Submission Open
Keywords: antibacterial; antiviral; macroalgae; microalgae; natural products; oxidative stress
Marine Terpenoids 2025
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 201 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine terpenoids; separation; synthesis; biosynthesis; bioactivity; structure– activity relationship
(This special issue belongs to the Section Structural Studies on Marine Natural Products)
Research on Marine-Derived Functional Foods submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 130 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine organisms; omega-3 fatty acids; peptides; antioxidants; anti-inflammatory effect; cardioprotective activity; innovative processing methods; bioavailability; safety; stability
Neuroprotective Effects of the Marine-Derived Compounds
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 101 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine neuroprotectants; discovery; structural elucidation; methodology; bioactivities; mechanism of action; behavior; network pharmacology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Marine Polysaccharides with Anticoagulant and Antimicrobial Activity
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 92 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine polysaccharides; sulfated polysaccharides; anticoagulant activity; antimicrobial activity; antibiofilm features; antiviral agents; antibacterial agents; antiparasitic agents; antifungal agents; co-infections and superinfections
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)
Marine Enzymes in Nutraceuticals and Cosmeceuticals: Functional Innovation from the Ocean
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 73 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine enzymes; nutraceuticals; cosmeceuticals; bioactive compounds; enzyme engineering
High-Value-Added Resources Recovered from Marine By-Products
edited by Rong Cao and
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3039 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine by-products; bioactive compounds; marine enzymes; nutraceuticals; peptide isolation; polysaccharide extraction; green extraction technologies; microbial fermentation; marine biomimetics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Marine Natural Products as Anticancer Agents, 5th Edition
edited by and
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 2660 | Submission Open
Keywords: anticancer; anti-tumor; immune; molecular targets; co-cultures; 3D culture models; marine natural products; receptors; proteins; molecular modeling; chemical synthesis; immune-modulatory
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Marine Biopolymers and Their Applications in Drug Delivery, 2nd Edition submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1649 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine biomaterials; drug delivery; gene delivery; protein delivery; drug targeting; controlled release; hydrogels; particles; fibers; membranes
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)
Marine Natural Products as Enzyme Inhibitors
edited by
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 105 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine natural products; enzyme inhibitors; marine microorganisms; marine drug target; drug discovery; molecular docking; protein kinase; enzyme altered pathway
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 14006 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine plants; algae; seaweeds; bioactive; drug discovery; specialized metabolites; isolation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Marine Polysaccharides-Based Biomaterials submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 7187 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine polysaccharides; nutraceuticals; bioactive compounds; antioxidants; bioactive carbohydrates; algal polysaccharides; marine natural products; biopolymers; marine biotechnology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)
Marine Carotenoids: Properties, Health Benefits, and Applications
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4303 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine carotenoids; distribution; biosynthesis; absorption; metabolism; bioavailability; functions; mechanisms of action; antioxidant activity; health effects; reduction in chronic disease risk; anti-cancer; anti-diabetes; anti-inflammatory; anti-obesity; and anti-photoaging activities; clinical; pharmaceutical; nutraceutical; and cosmeceutical applications; extraction; purification; and structure elucidation
Research on Marine Compounds and Inflammation
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3026 | Submission Open
Keywords: anti-inflammatory compounds; marine bioactive metabolites; inflammation; bioactive secondary metabolites; molecular targets of inflammation; marine algae; inflammatory pathways
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Marine Carotenoids and Potential Therapeutic Benefits
edited by Micaela Giani
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2339 | Submission Open
Keywords: carotenoid; antioxidant; biomedicine; health; nutraceutical; pigment; pharmacology; oxidative stress; anticancer; metabolism
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Enzyme Inhibitors from Marine Resources, 2nd Edition
edited by Francesc Xavier Avilés and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2296 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine inhibitors of enzymes; non-peptide and peptide/protein inhibitors; isolation and characterization; structure-function; genomics and proteomics; variety and evolution; biological role; biotechnology; drug screening and discovery; imaging and nano-technology; potential for therapeutics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Total Synthesis, Semisynthesis and Analogue Synthesis of Bioactive Marine Natural Products
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2073 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine natural products; total synthesis; semisynthesis; biological activity; lead discovery and optimisation; medicinal chemistry
Marine Antioxidants 2025 submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1050 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine compounds; antioxidants; biosynthesis; marine-inspired products; oxidative stress
Marine Sulfated Polysaccharides and Their Biomedical Applications
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1012 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine sulfated polysaccharide; ulvan; fucoidan; galactan; algae; immunoregulation; anti-cancer; anti-obesity; biomedical application; structural analysis
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Marine Genomics and Metabolomics submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 969 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine microorganisms; marine natural products; metabolomics; genomics; heterologous expression; genome mining; biosynthetic gene clusters; mass spectrometry; molecular networking; NMR
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Marine-Derived Compounds to Counteract Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Skin submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 553 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine-derived compounds; oxidative stress; inflammation; redox metabolism; skin oxidative stress; skin inflammation; cutaneous inflammatory disease; skin cancer
Marine-Derived Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Novel Compounds, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potential
edited by Jun Yang and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 178 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine active compounds; functional foods; nutritional interventions; molecular mechanisms; targeted delivery
Marine Compounds as Cosmetic Ingredients
edited by and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 172 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine compounds; cosmetic ingredients; skincare; formulation strategies; sustainable sourcing
Marine Extremophiles and Their Metabolites
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 159 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine extremophiles; natural products; enzymes; biosynthesis; structure elucidation; genome mining; bioprospecting
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Marine Bioactives in Nanotechnology
edited by Gary Smejkal and Nicholas Skizim
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 156 | Submission Open
Keywords: nanotechnology; pharmaceuticals; nutraceutricals; cosmeceuticals; marine compounds; nanoscale
Sustainable Extraction and Valorization of Marine Bioactive Compounds submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 116 | Submission Open
Keywords: green extraction; marine bioactive compounds; sustainable valorization; blue biotechnology; circular bioeconomy
Marine Toxins Driving Next-Generation Therapeutics and Technologies submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 66 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine venoms; marine toxins including neurotoxins; marine natural products; marine peptides; ecological function of marine toxins; biochemical diversity; therapeutic applications; metabolomics; proteomics; transcriptomics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Toxins)
Innovations in Marine Algal Biotechnology: From Bioprocessing to Applications
edited by Maria Elena Barone
submission deadline 1 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 136 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine natural products; biorefinery; antimicrobials; antioxidants; pigments; anticancer agents; microalgae; macroalgae; bioprocessing; marine bio-commodities
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Polysaccharides and Phytochemicals from Marine Resources: Structure, Activity, and Applications
edited by
submission deadline 1 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 61 | Submission Open
Keywords: isolation; structure; polysaccharide; phytochemicals; identification; biological activity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)
Applications of Marine Microalgal Biotechnology
edited by
submission deadline 15 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1302 | Submission Open
Keywords: microalgae; biotechnology; synthetic biology; metabolic engineering; bioprocess engineering; fermentation; biochemistry; natural compounds; marine drugs
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
Sustainable High-Value Applications of Marine Side Streams
edited by
submission deadline 15 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 119 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine side streams; circular bioeconomy; sustainable valorization; high-value applications; bioactive compounds; by-products; biorefinery
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)
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