Imatinib (Glivec or Gleevec): Commemorative Topic in Honor of Dr Jürg Zimmermann on the Occasion of His 70th Anniversary

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic is dedicated to the 70th birthday of Jürg Zimmermann and to the enduring impact of his work on the evolution of targeted therapies in oncology. The development of Imatinib marked a turning point in modern pharmacology by demonstrating that rationally designed small molecules can precisely modulate disease-driving proteins with clinical efficacy. In this perspective, the Topic welcomes contributions that examine how structure-based drug design, kinase inhibition and molecular targeting have progressed over the last two decades, and how these foundations are enabling the next generation of therapeutics.

We invite submissions covering both established and emerging therapeutic strategies, including but not limited to the design, optimization and mechanism of action of selective inhibitors, allosteric modulators, covalent and reversible ligands, degraders, and agents that act through non-classical binding modes. Particular attention will be given to studies that explore mechanisms of resistance, signaling rewiring, pathway addiction, and compensatory survival networks in cancer and other diseases. In line with the disruptive nature of Imatinib at the time of its discovery, this Topic will also consider paradigm-breaking approaches and unconventional molecular architectures, such as macrocycles, supramolecular scaffolds, molecular glues, RNA-guided small molecules, spatially restricted therapeutics, immune-metabolic modulators and compounds targeting previously inaccessible or undruggable proteins.

Contributions bridging basic research and clinical translation are strongly encouraged, including biomarker validation, systems pharmacology analyses, patient-derived model studies, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic investigations, or the integration of proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and other multi-omics approaches to dissect drug mechanisms and therapeutic response. Computational strategies, artificial intelligence-assisted screening and predictive modeling of ligand–target interactions and resistance evolution are also within the scope of this Topic. Submissions must present mechanistic insight, methodological rigor and clear implications for future therapeutic development inspired by the scientific legacy of Jürg Zimmermann.

Prof. Dr. Camillo Rosano
Prof. Dr. Xinyong Liu
Dr. Jessica Ceramella
Dr. Kateryna Tkachenko
Topic Editors