Call for Papers: Early Career Researchers in Infectious Diseases

Infectious disease research continues to draw researchers from diverse scientific disciplines due to its topical nature and close connection with human health. Today, as the world gears up to face new microbial threats, a new generation of researchers is stepping up to ask bold questions and seek transformative solutions. ACS Infectious Diseases recognizes that it is imperative to support this new wave of researchers in our discipline and amplify their collective efforts as a vital means of advancing the field forward.

This Special Issue of ACS Infectious Diseases, titled “Early Career Researchers in Infectious Diseases” will highlight and amplify the voices of early career scientists looking to make important contributions towards the understanding of infectious diseases, their prevention, management and treatment. Read the accompanying Editorial to learn more.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Interdisciplinary approaches to traditional problems
• Multiomics
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions
• Design of novel drugs, vaccines or diagnostics

The journal invites manuscripts from scientists within 10 years of having set up their independent research group (exceptions for career pauses will be considered). In the case of collaborative or consortium studies, the corresponding author must be an early-career researcher. Additionally, the special issue will focus on research involving human pathogens, though clinical reports or epidemiological surveys will not be appropriate for this special issue. Submissions are welcome through April 30, 2027.

Organizing Editors

Nishad Matange, Early Career Board Co-Chair, ACS Infectious Diseases
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, India

Tania Lupoli, Early Career Board Co-Chair, ACS Infectious Diseases
New York University, United States

Sriram Varahan, Early Career Board member, ACS Infectious Diseases
CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, India

Jayanta Haldar, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Infectious Diseases
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), India

Submission Information

We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through April 30, 2027. For more information on submission requirements, please review the journal’s Author Guidelines.

Manuscript types considered for this Special Issue include Research Articles, Letters, and Reviews*. All submissions will undergo the full, rigorous peer review process expected from ACS journals. Papers accepted for publication in this Special Issue will be available online ASAP (as soon as publishable). Once all accepted papers are published, they will be compiled on a dedicated landing page to form the Special Issue.

*Important: Reviews require an approved Proposal. Authors interested in submitting a Review must first submit a Proposal through the ACS Publishing Center using the Proposal manuscript type. Proposals should include:

• The proposed title
• A description of the topic and its significance
• Justification for its relevance to ACS Infectious Diseases
• Corresponding author information
• A summary of the authors' expertise with relevant publications
• A comparison to up to five related Review articles

Full Review manuscripts may only be submitted after the Proposal has been approved and an invitation to submit has been extended by the Editor.

How to Submit

• Log in to the ACS Publishing Center.
• Select your manuscript type; upload your manuscript and related files.
• Review the title and abstract fields to confirm any pre-populated information has transferred correctly.
• Under “Special Issue Selection,” select Early Career Researchers in Infectious Diseases.
• Confirm all other information is correct.
• Submit your article.

Reminder: Authors interested in submitting a Review must first submit a Proposal through the ACS Publishing Center using the Proposal manuscript type. View more details.

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