Call For Papers: Artificial Intelligence for Next-generation Anti-infective Discovery

With the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and a declining pipeline of new therapeutics, the discovery of novel anti-infective agents has become a global priority. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as groundbreaking tools in this field, revolutionizing approaches to the development of antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic therapies.

ACS Infectious Diseases is now accepting submissions for a Special Issue titled “Artificial Intelligence for Next-Generation Anti-Infective Discovery.” This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research at the intersection of AI and infectious disease therapeutics.

To learn more, read the accompanying Editorial.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• AI-driven identification of novel anti-infective molecules, peptides, or biologics.
• Algorithmic approaches to predict pathogen susceptibility, mechanism of action, and resistance evolution.
• AI-guided optimization of pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and safety profiles.
• Data resources, benchmark data sets, and open-source tools for AI in anti-infective research.
• Translational pipelines leveraging AI to predict preclinical or clinical outcomes.

Submit your manuscript by April 1, 2026.

Organizing Editors

Mark Brönstrup, Associate Editor, ACS Infectious Diseases
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research Department Gene Regulation and Differentiation, Germany
 
Jonathan M. Stokes, Early Career Board, ACS Infectious Diseases
McMaster University, Canada

Submission Information

We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through April 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, reviews, and perspectives and viewpoints (by invitation only). 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.

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 ACS Infectious Diseases.
• Click "Submit."
• Select your manuscript type, and, under "Special Issue Selection," choose “Artificial Intelligence for Next-generation Anti-infective Discovery."

If you have any general questions regarding submission to this Special Issue, please contact eic@id.acs.org.