Biochemical Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Dietary Bioactive Peptides

Dear Colleagues,

Dietary bioactive peptides have emerged as fundamental molecules in biochemical research, offering physiological benefits that extend far beyond basic amino acid requirements. These short-chain sequences, typically released from diverse protein sources—including terrestrial plants, marine organisms, and agri-food by-products—via enzymatic hydrolysis or fermentation, exhibit potent biological activities. Given their role in modulating human health through antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antihypertensive pathways, understanding the molecular mechanisms of these peptides is of paramount importance to the scientific community.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which focuses on the discovery, characterization, and therapeutic evaluation of these essential molecules.

This Special Issue aims to consolidate cutting-edge topics regarding the biochemical properties and therapeutic potential of food-derived peptides. By aligning with the molecular focus of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, this collection seeks to bridge the gap between peptide structure and physiological impact. We aim to explore how specific sequences interact with cellular receptors and signaling pathways to promote health. Our objective is to curate a comprehensive collection of contributions that may be published in a printed book format.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, communication and reviews are welcome. Research areas include the following:

• Molecular mechanisms of bioactive peptides;
• Structure–activity relationship (SAR) modeling;
• Peptidomics and bioinformatics for peptide discovery;
• Valorization of agri-food and aquaculture by-products;
• Stability of peptides within complex food matrices;
• Bioavailability and cellular signaling modulation.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chi-Ching Lee
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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