Nature’s Vanguard: Secondary Metabolites and Their Emerging Role in the Evolution of Cancer Therapy
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 89
Special Issue Editors
Interests: natural compounds; metabolomics; cytotoxic effects; molecular dereplication; plants; fungi
Interests: cell signaling; hematopoiesis; cancer stem cells; leukemia; leukemic stem cells; hematopoietic stem cells; cellular therapies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The structural and functional diversity of secondary metabolites has placed them at the forefront of natural product-based drug discovery. This Special Issue, Nature’s Vanguard: Secondary Metabolites and Their Emerging Role in the Evolution of Cancer Therapy, invites contributions that highlight the chemical ingenuity and biological complexity of these compounds, as well as their expanding role in combating cancer.
The issue focuses on the chemical characterization, biosynthetic origins, and biological activities of secondary metabolites with antineoplastic potential. It emphasizes how these compounds interact with cancer-relevant molecular targets and cellular pathways.
We encourage submissions exploring the isolation and structural elucidation of compounds from, but not limited to, microbial, marine, or plant sources; molecular dereplication; biosynthetic gene cluster analysis; metabolic engineering for compound optimization; and synthetic or semi-synthetic derivatization of natural products to enhance pharmacokinetics and/or bioactivity. Studies leveraging omics tools, molecular docking, or high-throughput screening to uncover mechanisms of action are particularly relevant. Research on the modulation of key signaling pathways, tumor microenvironment interactions, and synergistic effects of natural compounds with existing therapies also falls within the scope.
This Special Issue aims to consolidate current advances at the chemistry–biology interface of secondary metabolites and cancer research. By integrating approaches from natural product chemistry, molecular oncology, and systems pharmacology, we seek to identify new leads, elucidate mechanistic insights, and inspire rational drug design based on nature’s molecular scaffolds. In doing so, the issue aspires to reaffirm the value of secondary metabolites as dynamic agents in the evolution of cancer therapeutics, from bench to bedside.
Dr. Thiago André Moura Veiga
Prof. Dr. Edgar Julian Paredes-Gamero
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 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.
Keywords
- natural compounds
- cell signaling
- cytotoxic effects
- mechanism of action
- molecular dereplication
- plant
- fungi
- bacteria
- marines
- molecular docking
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