Call For Papers: Ferroptosis and Autophagy-dependent Cell Death in Oncology Medicinal Chemistry

This joint Special Issue between ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters and the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry spotlights an exciting shift in cancer drug discovery: moving beyond traditional apoptosis‑focused therapies and into the emerging world of nonapoptotic cell‑death pathways. While decades of anticancer research have centered on triggering apoptosis, many tumors eventually learn to sidestep this process which has forced researchers to think creatively about new therapeutic angles. Ferroptosis and autophagy‑dependent cell death are two rapidly evolving fields offering new opportunities to treat resistant cancers.

From small‑molecule modulators and structural biology insights to AI‑driven discovery approaches, this special issue will bring together cutting‑edge research that explores how manipulating these alternative cell‑death mechanisms can enhance treatment responses, overcome drug resistance, and ultimately push oncology into its next era of innovation.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Development of hit/lead compounds triggering nonapoptotic cell death including ferroptosis and autophagy with a focus on design strategies, synthesis, and in vitro/in vivo evaluations.
• Identification of pharmacological tool compounds to investigate the interplay between ferroptosis, autophagy, and other regulated cell-death pathways.
• Structural biology and mechanistic studies of relevant ligands that induce ferroptosis or autophagy-dependent cell death.
• Strategies to improve the pharmacokinetic and drug-like properties of ferroptosis- or autophagy-inducing agents (e.g., solubility, permeability, bioavailability, toxicity modulation), including prodrug approaches.
• Application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to discover or optimize ferroptosis- and autophagy-modulating agents.
• Studies aimed at developing novel agents overcoming drug resistance through activation of ferroptosis or autophagy.

For more information on this Special Issue, read our joint Editorial. Submit your manuscript by August 31, 2026.

Organizing Editors

Mariateresa Giustiniano, Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Naples Federico II, Italy

Nouri Neamati, Associate Editor, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Michigan, United States

Gianluca Sbardella, Editorial Advisory Board, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters
University of Salerno, Italy

Maria Laura Bolognesi, Associate Editor, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Bologna, Italy

Submission Information

We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through August 31, 2026. Please visit the relevant journal’s Author Guidelines page formore information on submission requirements.

View Author Guidelines:

• ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters
• Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Accepted manuscripts for consideration in this Special Issue will include research articles, drug annotations, letters, microperspectives, notes, perspectives, technical notes, and viewpoints. 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 Medicinal Chemistry Letters or Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
• Click "Submit."
• Select your manuscript type, and, under "Special Issue Selection," choose “Ferroptosis and Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death in Oncology Medicinal Chemistry."

If you have any general questions regarding submission to this Special Issue, please contact:

• ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters: managing.editor@medchemlett.acs.org
• Journal of Medicinal Chemistry: managing.editor@jmedchem.acs.org