Liposomal Membranes: From Fundamental Biophysics to Therapeutic Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Liposomes are closed bilayered vesicles that have been widely used as simplified models of biological membranes. Their composition can be precisely controlled, making them suitable for studying fundamental membrane properties such as lipid packing, fluidity, phase separation and domain formation. At the same time, liposomes are among the most established nanocarriers in medicine, with several formulations already in clinical use for delivering chemotherapeutics and other agents.

The dual role of liposomes as biophysical tools and drug delivery systems creates a natural bridge between basic and applied research. On the one hand, studies on lipid bilayers help us understand how the membrane structure responds to environmental changes, interacts with proteins and peptides or undergoes fusion and poration. On the other hand, these same insights inform the design of liposomal carriers with improved stability, targeting and release profiles for a variety of therapeutic payloads, including small molecules, proteins and nucleic acids.

Recent advances in experimental techniques such as atomic force microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, neutron and X ray scattering and surface-sensitive methods have provided new opportunities to characterise liposomal membranes at the molecular level. These are complemented by computational approaches that can simulate lipid organisation and dynamics over extended time scales. Together, they allow researchers to correlate membrane composition and structure with biological function.

This Special Issue invites original research articles, reviews and short communications that address any aspect of liposomal membrane science, from fundamental biophysical studies to translational applications. Contributions that combine experimental and theoretical approaches are particularly welcome. We hope that this collection will foster interdisciplinary exchange and contribute to the rational development of liposome-based technologies.

Dr. Daria N. Melnikova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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