New Advances in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, 2nd Edition
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: radiopharmaceutical sciences; radiolabeling chemistry; radiometals for medicinal purposes; PET tracers; dosimetry for individualized treatment planning; nuclide production; automatization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of radiopharmaceuticals—from their conception to their use in patients—is a highly interdisciplinary process. It brings together the fields of chemistry, biology, medicine, physics, and engineering. Preclinical and clinical studies of new radiopharmaceuticals, whether based on antibodies, peptides, or small molecules, require expertise in identifying new molecular targets and applying them in nuclear medicine for imaging and therapy. These applications cover a wide range of conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, heart and metabolic disorders, cancers, and immune-related illnesses.
The evaluation process involves laboratory (in vitro) and animal/human (in vivo) studies to understand how radiopharmaceuticals bind to targets, how they are distributed in the body, and how they are metabolized. Dosimetry is also involved, measuring the radiation dose delivered to tissues. Advances in research techniques and clinical studies have significantly expanded the potential of radiopharmaceuticals. Examples include imaging that helps to categorize patients according to their suitability for specific treatments, as well as the increasing use of radiopharmaceuticals as 'theranostic' tools—agents that can diagnose and treat disease, thereby supporting personalized medicine.
At the core of radiopharmaceutical design lies radiochemistry—the process of selecting the right radionuclide based on its chemical and physical properties, as well as developing methods to effectively attach it to the targeting molecule. This process involves considering how the compound will behave in the body, as well as how it can be effectively produced and purified. Ultimately, these choices enable the standardized, automated production of pharmaceutical-grade radiopharmaceuticals.
The fundamental aspect of radiopharmaceutical design is the selection of appropriate radiochemistry. This involves identifying a radionuclide based on its chemical and physical characteristics and determining suitable labeling strategies and precursors that take into account the chemistry and pharmacokinetics of the target vector, as well as its production and purification processes. Collectively, these considerations enable the optimized and automated synthesis of pharmaceutical-grade radiopharmaceuticals.
We welcome contributions of all types, including short communications, full research articles, and reviews that highlight recent progress and future directions in the field of radiopharmaceuticals.
Dr. Elisabeth Eppard
Guest Editor
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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 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
- radiopharmacy/radiopharmaceuticals
- radiochemistry
- radionuclide therapy
- theranostics
- PET
- SPECT
- tadiolabeling techniques
- radionuclide production
- nuclear medicine.
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
Related Special Issue
- New Advances in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences in Molecules (6 articles)
