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Frontiers and Challenges in Structural Biology

Edited by:

Professor Martino Bolognesi, Emeritus Professor, University of Milan, Italy
Professor Stefano Gianni, PhD, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Professor Michele Vendruscolo, PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 23 May 2025


Biology Direct is calling for submissions to our Collection on Frontiers and Challenges in Structural Biology.

Image credit: © Kateryna_Kon / stock.adobe.com

Meet the Guest Editors

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Professor Martino Bolognesi, Emeritus Professor, University of Milan, Italy

Martino Bolognesi (1951) was trained (Chemistry and Biochemistry) at the University of Pavia (Italy). He spent Postdoc years at the University of Oregon (Eugene, USA), and at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry (Martinsried, Germany). He was Full Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Genova (1991-2004), and then at the University of Milano (2005-2021), where he is currently Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry. He has been one of the leading figures in the foundation and growth of structural biology in Italy (X-ray crystallography), where, over the years and thanks to successful collaborators, he opened labs in Pavia, Genova and Milano.
 

Professor Stefano Gianni, PhD, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Stefano Gianni is Full Professor of Molecular Biology at Sapienza, University of Rome, where he established his independent group since 2012. He is Member of the Academia Europeae. He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry in Sapienza University of Rome and has spent several years in Cambridge, first as a post-doctoral scientist in the Centre for Protein Engineering of the Medical Research Council of Cambridge and, subsequently, as a Visiting Scientist of the Department of Chemistry. He is author of over 160 scientific publications and his main research interest lies in understanding the general rules of protein folding, misfolding and protein-protein recognition.
 

Professor Michele Vendruscolo, PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Michele Vendruscolo is Professor of Biophysics, Director of the Chemistry of Health Laboratory and Co-Director of the Centre for Misfolding Diseases at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Cambridge, where has worked for over 20 years. His work is aimed at establishing the fundamental principles of protein homeostasis and protein aggregation, and at exploiting these principles to develop methods for drug discovery in neurodegenerative diseases. He has published over 500 scientific papers and 20 patents, and given over 500 invited lectures at international meetings. 

About the Collection

Biology Direct welcomes submissions for a new Collection of structural biology articles. The Collection will include contributions with significant impact on understanding the architecture and function of biological macromolecules, advancing biological theory, and fostering biotechnological/medical applications.

Context and Meaning

As we progress into the information age – a time of increasing impact of technology on all fronts – structural biology is undergoing a transformative shift. Contemporary approaches, such as cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, allow fast-efficient imaging of macromolecular structures in atomic detail. These innovations are critical for characterizing the complex architecture of proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules, which is fundamental for understanding their function and role in various biological processes.  Information obtained through structural biology forms the bases for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, designing new biomolecules, and boosting our overall understanding of the molecular mechanisms constituting life.

To fully exploit these advances, we are facing challenges for analysis, interpretation, and integration. The ability to translate the structural information into functional insights and practical application lags far behind data generation. This Collection aims to showcase recent advances and ongoing efforts to address these challenges and leverage structural biology to drive scientific discovery and innovation.

Call for Papers

We welcome interdisciplinary research and perspectives in innovative approaches for understanding the structure and function of biological macromolecules. Contributions should highlight new methodologies, theoretical frameworks, or applications that push forward our knowledge on biological matter at the frontier of its interface with biotechnology and medicine.

Topics of Interest:

  1. Structure of Proteins. Modern methodologies with high-level techniques for the determination of the structures of proteins. Research on intrinsically disordered proteins or domains, and implications for their functions and roles in vivo, will be particularly welcome.
  2. Structures of Nucleic Acids. Research in the DNA and RNA structural biology and research in their complexes, their role in genetic regulations, and cell functioning.
  3. Molecular Dynamics and Simulations. Computational approaches to model and simulate the behavior of biomolecules, offering a deeper understanding of their dynamics and interactions.
  4. Structure-Based Drug Design. The science of designing new therapeutic agents and optimization through the knowledge of structure, hence speeding up the discovery of more targeted treatment.
  5. Macromolecular Complexes. Investigations into the structure and function of large biomolecular assemblies, revealing their mechanisms and biological significance.
  6. Innovative Analytical Techniques. Development and application of new technologies and methodologies for structural analysis, enhancing the resolution, time dependence and accuracy of structural data.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles and Reviews. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission-guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. 

Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. Please, select the appropriate Collection title “Frontiers And Challenges In Structural Biology" under the “Details” tab during the submission stage.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer-review process. The peer-review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.