Call For Papers: Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences in Africa

Africa is at a pivotal moment in pharmaceutical science, marked by rapidly expanding research capacity, growing manufacturing and regulatory infrastructure, and an urgent need for innovative, accessible therapeutics.

This Special Issue of Molecular Pharmaceutics highlights advances in drug discovery, drug delivery, nanomedicine, biologics, and translational pharmaceutics emerging across the African continent, with a focus on rigorous molecular and mechanistic insight coupled with real‑world impact. By showcasing context‑driven innovation addressing regional disease burdens, stability and access challenges, and scalable formulation strategies, this special issue aims to amplify Africa’s scientific contributions while promoting global visibility, collaboration, and knowledge exchange at the forefront of molecular pharmaceutics.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

Computational Pharmaceutical Chemistry

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) approaches to predict drug candidate efficacy, toxicity, and PK/PD
• In silico modeling of drug behavior and molecular dynamics simulations
• Quantum mechanics/molecular modeling (QM/MM) applied to complex biochemical reactions and drug design
• Virtual screening for lead compound identification and drug repurposing
• Crystal engineering, including crystal growth, sustainability, impurity minimization, defect reduction, and efficiency improvements

Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

• Novel drug formulation strategies
• Modeling, prediction, and enhancement of drug physicochemical properties
• Solid-state pharmaceutics
• Innovative biomaterials and additive manufacturing of dosage forms
• Nanoparticle-assisted delivery of drugs, genes, and other bioactive agents
• Targeted drug delivery approaches to enhance bioavailability and reduce toxicity
• Personalized medicines

Translational and Global Impact Considerations

• Addressing region-specific disease burdens
• Demonstrating affordability and scalability
• Advancing local manufacturing capacity
• Strengthening regulatory and quality ecosystems
• Promoting equitable access to advanced therapeutics

For more information on this Special Issue, read our Call for Papers Editorial. Submit your manuscript by October 31, 2026.

Organizing Editors

Yahya Choonara, Guest Editor
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Kelly Chibale, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters
University of Cape Town, South Africa

Martin Thuo, Guest Editor
North Carolina State University, United States

Archana Bhaw-Luximon, Guest Editor
University of Mauritius, Mauritius

El-Houssaine Ablouh, Guest Editor
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco

Submission Information

We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through October 31, 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, communications, perspectives, and reviews (by proposal only). Papers accepted for publication for this Special Issue will be available ASAP (as soon as publishable) online as soon as they are accepted. 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.

Open Access: There are diverse open access options for publications in American Chemical Society journals. Please visit our Open Science Resource Center for more information.

How to Submit

• Log in to the ACS Publishing Center.
• Select the "Journals" tab.
• Choose Molecular Pharmaceutics.
• Click "Submit."
• Select your manuscript type, and, under "Special Issue Selection," choose “Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences in Africa."

If you have any general questions regarding submission to this Special Issue, please contact taylor-office@mp.acs.org.