Symmetry/Asymmetry in Drug Delivery Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Drug delivery is a rapidly expanding field of research, which currently encompasses, but is not limited to, drug carrier systems, molecular storage systems, medicinal formulation, manufacturing techniques, target-directed transportation technologies, controlled and stimuli-responsive release, the delivery of biological drugs, novel materials, nanotechnology, nanomedicine and even 3D printing. Current efforts pertaining to drug delivery are vast and often interdisciplinary, requiring input from experts with diverse backgrounds, such as synthetic chemists, polymer and materials scientists, biologists, computational scientists, pharmacy experts and industry professionals. While the central challenge remains the same—namely, how to transport a pharmaceutical substance to its desired target site more efficiently to achieve a specific therapeutic effect—the tools and technological advancements at our disposal are now more sophisticated than ever, thus advancing drug delivery to a new niche and providing multiple solutions for the problem at hand.

This Special Issue focuses on recent developments in the field of drug delivery, with emphasis placed on the symmetry/asymmetry of drug delivery systems. This may include: reports on the synthesis of innovative materials for (controlled) drug release and/or molecular storage that belong to a particular symmetry group; description of the 3D structural organization of these materials; physical chemistry methods for the evaluation of the symmetry elements in their structure; correlation between symmetry and function of new-generation drug carriers; symmetric or asymmetric distribution of target-recognizing modalities on the structure of a drug carrier; improved cellular uptake, pharmacokinetics and bioavailability or reduced toxicity owing to the symmetry elements of the delivery system; new chemistries to create symmetric linkers or achieve desymmetrization of the linker in the course of conjugation of a drug to the carrier; and ways to break up such linkers for efficient drug release. These topics are addressed by experts in this multidisciplinary field.

Dr. Savvas N. Georgiades
Dr. Emiliano Bilotti
Dr. Kyriaki S. Pafiti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• drug delivery
• drug carrier
• drug storage system
• nanomaterials
• target specificity
• symmetric linker
• desymmetrization
• drug conjugates
• controlled release
• stimuli-responsive
• symmetry/asymmetry