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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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The Biological Significance of Fucose-Based Polysaccharides and Oligosaccharides from the Sea

edited by

You-Jin Jeon

submission deadline 15 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 64 | Submission Open

Keywords: fucose; fucoidan; oligosaccharide; human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs); prebiotic; probiotic; synbiotic; microbiome; anti-inflammation; gut health; brown algae; holothuria; fucosylated chondroitin sulfate

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Proteomic Studies for the Identification and Characterization of Marine Bioactive Molecules, 2nd Edition

edited by

Nedeljka Rosic

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4286 | Submission Open

Keywords: omics; proteomics; bioproducts; anti-bacterial; anti-tumor; anti-viral; anti-aging; anti-inflammatory; anti-fungal

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Polysaccharides from Marine Environment

edited by

Celine Laroche

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 441 | Submission Open

Keywords: polysaccharides; oligosaccharides; bioactivity; functional properties; chitin; chitosan; fucoidan; alginate; laminarin; carrageenan; agar; ulvan

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Eco-Friendly Extraction Processes for Obtaining Marine Bioactive Products

edited by

Liaqat Zeb

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 426 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; integrated biorefinery; sustainable extraction; marine bioresources; green solvent extraction; marine bioprocessing; marine sustainability; advanced extraction technologies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Microalgae Cultures and Their Value in Nutraceutical/Cosmetic Industry

edited by

Christos Chatzidoukas

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 274 | Submission Open

Keywords: microalgae industrialization; active biomolecules; antioxidants; prebiotics; ω -3 fatty acids

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Advances in Research on Fucoidan: Potential as Drug and Functional Food

edited by

Dineth Pramuditha Nagahawatta

and Nisansala Liyanage

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 106 | Submission Open

Keywords: fucoidan; functional oligo-fucoidans; structure– function; green extraction/biorefinery; drug delivery & biomaterials; gut microbiome; immunomodulation & inflammation; oncology adjuvant; cardiometabolic/atherosclerosis; quality control & regulatory science

Natural Products from Soft Corals and Their Associated Microbes

edited by Ming-Zhi Su

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 87 | Submission Open

Keywords: soft corals; soft coral-associated microbes; marine natural products; synthetic derivatives based on marine natural products; biosynthesis pathways; bioactivity; chemical ecology; pharmacological mechanism

(This special issue belongs to the Section Structural Studies on Marine Natural Products)

Unexploited Marine Resources as Novel Sources of Antioxidants

edited by

Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha

and Rafael Barros Gomes Câmara

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 79 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; antioxidant compounds; algae-derived antioxidants; marine microorganisms; oxidative stress; bioactivity metabolites; nutraceuticals; marine biotechnology; drug discovery; sustainable bioprospecting

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Bioactive Natural Products from Marine Cyanobacteria: From Discovery to Valorization

edited by

Rosário Martins

and

Marisa Alexandra Freitas

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 75 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine cyanobacteria; natural products; bioactive metabolites; anticancer compounds; antimicrobial agents; pigment valorization; sustainable bioprocessing; biosynthetic pathways; synthetic biology; biotechnological applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Enzymes Derived from Marine Sources

edited by

Stephen A. Jackson

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 69 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine enzymes; CAZymes; proteases; lipases; extremozymes; psychrophilic enzymes; halophilic enzymes; industrial

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Innovative Marine Nanomaterials in Targeted Drug Delivery

edited by

Ioanna Pitterou

and

Anastasia Detsi

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 44 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine nanomaterials; drug delivery systems; marine polysaccharides (e.g.; chitosan; fucoidan; alginate); nanocarriers and nanostructures; targeted therapy and controlled release; marine-derived bioactive compounds; cancer nanomedicine; biocompatibility and biodegradability; nano-biomaterials from the marine environment; translational nanotechnology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)

Marine-Derived Novel Antimicrobial Agents

edited by

Stella Maria Cascioferro

submission deadline 1 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 44 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural compounds; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial agents; anti-biofilm compounds; anti-virulence agents

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition

edited by

Xiaxia Di

submission deadline 15 Apr 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3815 | Submission Open

Keywords: seaweed; microalgae; biochemical composition; cultivation; industrial application; biotechnology; biomass; biological activity

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Sustainable Valorization of Seafood By-Products through Recovery of Valuable Bioactive Compounds 2nd Edition

edited by

Oscar Martinez-Alvarez

and

Ali Bougatef

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 14470 | Submission Open

Keywords: seafood upgrading; bioactive molecules; nutraceuticals; cosmeceuticals; high-throughput screenings; protein hydrolysates; marine ingredients; functional food

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Marine Bioactive Compounds for Skin Health

edited by

Hyun Soo Kim

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 6406 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine bioactive compounds; marine metabolites; skin health; skin inflammation; marine pharmaceuticals

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Marine Antiparasitic Agents, 2nd Edition

edited by

Carla Fernandes

, Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva and Diana Resende

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3778 | Submission Open

Keywords: antiparasitic; marine agents; safe extraction; green chemistry; parasites; helminths; protozoans

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Innovative Biotechnology Processes for Marine By-Products: From Waste Stream to Value Stream

edited by

Bergé Jean-Pascal

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3436 | Submission Open

Keywords: circular bioeconomy; blue biotechnology; discard-derived molecules; marine bioactive valorization; zero-waste processing; fishery biorefinery; enzymatic bioconversion; marine ingredient LCA

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Marine Bioactive Substances: From By-Products to Innovative Applications

edited by

Wenzheng Shi

and Dandan Ren

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2306 | Submission Open

Keywords: bioactive compounds; biological activity; peptide; protein hydrolysates; extract methods; molecular structures; functional characteristics; by-product utilization; bioaccessibility and bioavailability

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Research on Marine Antimicrobial Peptides

edited by

Na Yang

and

Xiao Wang

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1768 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine antimicrobial peptides; structural diversity; host defense mechanisms; multidrug-resistant pathogens; mining and exploration; biosynthesis; anti-infective mechanism; immunoregulation; nanoparticle-based delivery systems; AI-based prediction technologies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Marine Compounds as Inhibitors

edited by Seungrak Lee

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1579 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; bioactive compounds; enzyme inhibition; anticancer agents; antimicrobial agents; immunomodulators; structure– activity relationship; inhibitors

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Defying the Odds: Innate Immunity in Invertebrates Living in Deep-Sea Extreme Environments

edited by

Raul Bettencourt

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 815 | Submission Open

Keywords: deep-sea ecosystems; marine extreme environments; deep-sea invertebrates; invertebrate innate immunity; evolutionary immunology; secondary metabolites from deep sea invertebrates

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Pharmacognostic Potential of Seaweed Extracts and Metabolites

edited by Rafael Alexandre Faria da Costa Félix

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 802 | Submission Open

Keywords: pharmacognosy; marine natural products; bioactive compounds; human health; veterinary; agriculture; emerging diseases; antimicrobial resistance; extraction

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Marine Microbial Metabolites: Isolation, Bioactivity, and Therapeutic Potential

edited by

Hou-Jin Li

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 324 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; marine microorganism; metabolites; isolation; structure elucidation; bioactive; therapeutic potential

Marine Natural Products Against Inflammatory-Based Diseases

edited by

Cinzia Parolini

and

Elda Favari

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 213 | Submission Open

Keywords: N-3 PUFA; marine-derived ingredients; nutraceutical; triglycerides; cardiovascular diseases; obesity; metabolic syndrome; neurodegenerative disease; rheumatoid arthritis; inflammatory bowel diseases; cancer

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Synthesis, Optimization and Biological Activity of Marine Natural Product

edited by Shengrong Liao and

Zejun Xu

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 75 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural product; synthesis; optimization; biological evaluation; anticancer; antimicrobial activity; design and synthesis

(This special issue belongs to the Section Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry of Marine Natural Products)

Bioactive Substances from Jellyfish

edited by

Huahua Yu

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 67 | Submission Open

Keywords: jellyfish; bioactive substances; isolation and purification; peptides; toxin; polysaccharides; bioactivity evaluation; mechanism

Marine Natural Products for Innovative Dermocosmetic Applications

edited by

Laurent Picot

and Nicolas Bridiau

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 60 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; dermocosmetics; photoprotection; acne management; cancer therapy support; skin microbiome; wound healing; anti-senescence; blue biotechnology; sustainable formulation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Computational and Experimental Advances in Bioactive Molecules from Marine Microorganisms

edited by

João Carneiro

and Mariana Alves Reis

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 51 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine bioactive metabolites; computational biology; multi-omics integration; machine learning; drug discovery

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Value-Added Products from Marine Fishes, 2nd Edition

edited by Helena Maria Lourenço,

Sónia Pedro

and

Ana Gomes-Bispo

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 49 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine fishes; bioactivity; health benefits; blue economy; chronic diseases

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Effects of Marine Natural Products in Brain Health and Metabolic Diseases, 2nd Edition

edited by

Vanni Caruso

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 49 | Submission Open

Keywords: neuroprotection; mood disorders; sleep; pain; addiction; inflammation; antioxidants; metabolic syndrome; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); weight loss

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Advances in the Application of Analytical Techniques for Marine Drugs Discovery

edited by

Ronald Quinn

submission deadline 1 May 2026 | Viewed by 40 | Submission Open

Keywords: drug development; hit identification; lead optimisation; targets; biological effects

(This special issue belongs to the Section Structural Studies on Marine Natural Products)

Marine Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Agents, 5th Edition

edited by

Donatella Degl'Innocenti

and

Marzia Vasarri

submission deadline 15 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2624 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine organisms; inflammation; cytokines; antioxidant agents; anti-inflammatory gents; oxidative stress; ROS/RNS; NF-κ B; mitochondrial oxidative; drug delivery

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Cultivation and Chemical Profiling of Marine Microorganisms

edited by

Zeinab Khalil

submission deadline 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 34 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine microorganisms; cultivation techniques; metabolomics; biosynthetic gene clusters; natural product discovery; marine fungi and actinobacteria; LC– MS/MS and NMR profiling; genome mining; co-culture and elicitation; antibiotic and bioactive compounds

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Marine-Derived Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzyme

edited by

Feng Han

submission deadline 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 24 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine-derived polysaccharide-degrading enzyme; marine polysaccharide; marine oligosaccharide; marine microorganism; genome mining; structure– function relationship; industrial application

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

Green Extraction of High-Value Compounds in Marine Algae

edited by

Padrón-Sanz Carolina

and

Graciliana Lopes

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4081 | Submission Open

Keywords: green extraction methods; green solvents; biorefinery; ultrasonic assisted extraction; microwave assisted extraction; supercritical fluid extraction; subcritical water extraction; pressurized liquid extraction; pulsed electric field; ionic liquids

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Advances in Secondary Metabolites from Mangrove Holobiont

edited by

Xuefeng Zhou

and

Huaming Tao

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4056 | Submission Open

Keywords: mangrove holobiont; natural products; pharmacological activities; biosynthetic mechanisms; symbionts communicate; lead compound

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Bioactive Compounds from Marine Invertebrates

edited by

Aiti Vizzini

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 261 | Submission Open

Keywords: metabolite; peptide; marine invertebrate; marine natural products; biotechnological application; drugs; metabolomic; proteomic; bioinformat

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Chemical Defense in Marine Organisms, 4th Edition

edited by

Chiara Lauritano

and

Eleonora Montuori

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 42 | Submission Open

Keywords: defense strategies; stress responses; toxins; secondary metabolites; marine organisms; enzymatic pathway activation; bioactive compounds; biotechnological applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Genome Mining and Discovery of Marine Bioactive Secondary Metabolites

edited by

Jianying Han

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

Keywords: genome mining; marine natural products; structure elucidation; host– microbe interaction; Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs); bioactive compounds; marine fungi; marine actinobacteria

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production)

Bioactive Polyketides from Marine Resources

edited by

Yan-Bo Zeng

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 20 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine animals; marine fungi; marine microorganisms; polyketides; marine natural products; bioactive compounds; chemical structures; biosynthetic pathway; pharmacological mechanism; marine drugs

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery)

Marine Bioactive Compounds: Roles in Signaling Pathway Regulation and Potential Applications

edited by

Ji-Hye Ahn

submission deadline 15 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 18 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine bioactive compounds; natural products; signaling pathway regulation; molecular mechanisms of action; inflammation; oxidative stress; cancer; network pharmacology; translational marine pharmacology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Marine Natural Products as Promising Modulators of Ferroptosis

edited by Zhongbin Cheng

submission deadline 15 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 12 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine natural products; ferroptosis modulators; inhibitors; inducer; isolation and structural identification; activity; mechanism

(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Pharmacology)

Jellyfish-Derived Compounds

edited by

Antonella Leone

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4366 | Submission Open

Keywords: jellyfish proteins and peptides; bioactive compounds; anticancer; photoprotection; jellyfish collagen; jellyfish symbionts; cosmetics and cosmeceuticals; nutraceuticals; biomaterials; novel foods; jellyfish-associated microbiome

(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)

Novel Biomaterials and Active Compounds from Sea Cucumbers

edited by

Miroslava Atanassova

and Jan Sunde

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3261 | Submission Open

Keywords: collagen; fucoidan; antimicrobial peptides; antifreeze compounds; bioinformatics for drug development; sea cucumbers

(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)

Marine-Derived Biomaterials for Bone Health

edited by

Joel D. Bumgardner

, Teja Guda and

Lukasz Witek

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 7 | Submission Open

Keywords: bone biomaterials; bone tissue engineering; bone tissue regeneration; marine biomaterials; 3d printing for bone; bone bioprinting; blue technology; anti-osteosarcoma; drug delivery; regulatory pathways/considerations

(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomaterials of Marine Origin)

International Summer School of Blue Biotechnology

edited by

Chiara Lauritano