Call For Papers: Molecular Editing in Natural Products and Drug Molecules

The synthesis and structural modification of natural products and drug molecules remain at the forefront of chemical innovation. In recent years, the concept of molecular editing—a transformative approach that enables precise, regio- and site-selective modifications of complex molecules—has revolutionized the way chemists approach the design and optimization of bioactive compounds, especially through late-stage functionalization.

This Special Issue at JACS Au aims to highlight cutting-edge research on the strategic application of molecular editing techniques in the synthesis of natural products and drug molecules. We hope the contributions will highlight the expanding toolkit available to chemists seeking to tailor molecular architecture with unprecedented precision.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Methodological Advances in Molecular Editing

• Site-selective C–H activation in complex molecules
• Transition-metal catalyzed molecular editing strategies
• Photoredox and electrochemical approaches to molecular editing
• Radical-based editing techniques for natural products
• Biocatalytic methods for selective functionalization

2. Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

• Late-stage diversification of natural products
• Molecular editing for structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies
• Streamlining total synthesis via strategic editing steps
• Scaffold hopping and functional group interconversion in natural products

3. Drug Molecule Optimization

• Molecular editing for improving pharmacokinetics and bioavailability
• Editing strategies for enhancing target selectivity and potency
• Prodrug design via selective functionalization
• Overcoming synthetic bottlenecks in drug development pipelines

4. Computational and Predictive Tools

• AI and machine learning in predicting editing sites and outcomes
• Computational modeling of reactivity and selectivity
• Retrosynthetic analysis incorporating molecular editing strategies

6. Emerging Frontiers

• Molecular editing in peptide and protein-based therapeutics
• Editing of nucleic acid-based drugs and natural products
• Integration of molecular editing with biosynthetic engineering
• Sustainable and green chemistry approaches to molecular editing

Submit your manuscript by June 1, 2026.

Organizing Editors

Prof. Xiaoguang Lei, Associate Editor, JACS Au
Peking University, China

Prof. Mingji Dai, Guest Editor
Emory University, United States

Submission Information

We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through June 1, 2026. For more information on submission requirements, please visit the journal’s Author Guidelines page.

Accepted manuscripts for consideration in this Special Issue will include research Articles, Letters, Perspectives, and Methods/Protocols. Papers accepted for publication for this Special Issue will be available ASAP (as soon as publishable) online. After all submissions have been published, they will then be compiled online on a dedicated landing page to form the Special Issue. Manuscripts submitted for consideration will undergo the full rigorous peer review process expected from ACS journals.

JACS Au is an open access journal.

How to Submit

• Log in to the ACS Publishing Center.
• Select the "Journals" tab.
• Choose JACS Au.
• Click "Submit."
• Select your manuscript type, and, under "Special Issue Selection," choose “Molecular Editing in Natural Products and Drug Molecules."

If you have any general questions regarding submission to this Special Issue, please contact Prof. Xiaoguang Lei (lei-office@jacsau.acs.org).