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pubs.acs.org/biomedchemau Editorial
Psychedelics and Entactogens: Call for Papers
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P sychedelics (drugs that change an individual’s perception
of reality) and entactogens (drugs that provide emotional
openness and/or apathy) together represent one of the most
use of neuroinformatics and computational modeling to
predict psychedelic effects and optimize molecular
designs
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exciting areas of research in neuropsychiatry. Historical
psychedelic drugs, in modern, low-dose clinical trials, show Beyond these areas, we are also excited about research that
rapid and sustained efficacy across a broad range of psychiatric investigates the role of artificial intelligence in drug discovery
disorders. However, the goal has been to develop non- and optimization for psychedelic compounds; applications of
hallucinogenic psychedelics that maintain clinical efficacy but neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and digital biomarkers in
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without the risk of “tripping”. Early efforts focused on psychedelic research; and new considerations and advances for
modifying the “usual suspect” 5-HT2A ligands; however, with clinical trial design for psychedelics and entactogens. The time
so many companies and academics in this space, novel is now to highlight all the amazing research in this field, and we
chemical matter and pharmacology are emerging. In 2021, we invite you to submit your work to one of the five Journals in
published a Special Issue in ACS Pharmacology & Translational this special Call for Papers.
Science (Vol. 4, Issue 2) focused on Psychedelics and New The deadline for submission for this Virtual Special Issue is
Advances in Preclinical and Clinical Studies. The papers in that June 30, 2025. Articles accepted into a Virtual Special Issue
collection were highly read and cited and helped to propel the are published in the next regular issue of the respective journal.
field forward. With all the advances in the field today, it is time Once the majority of articles are accepted into the Virtual
to highlight once again the promise of psychedelic science with Special Issue, they are assembled on a dedicated web page and
a Call for Papers across multiple ACS Journals to showcase promoted as a special collection. Manuscripts can be submitted
innovation in medicinal chemistry, molecular pharmacology, through the ACS Publishing Center, selecting “Psychedelics
neuropharmacology, and clinical trial design applied to novel and Entactogens” in the Special Issue Selection.
psychedelics and entactogens. Below are some exemplar topics Please consider the relevant instructions to authors before
that we would love to showcase across the five Journals: submitting a manuscript to the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry,
Medicinal chemistry and synthetic pathways: design ACS Chemical Neuroscience, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters,
and synthesis of novel psychedelics and entactogens with ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, or ACS Bio & Med
improved safety and efficacy profiles; development of Chem Au. Any questions regarding submission into this special
non-hallucinogenic analogs and biased ligands targeting issue may be sent to
serotonin (5-HT) receptors; exploration of novel Journal of Medicinal Chemistry: managing.editor@jmedchem.
chemical scaffolds distinct from classic psychedelics to acs.org
broaden therapeutic potential ACS Chemical Neuroscience: managing.editor@chemneuro.
Mechanisms of action and pharmacodynamics: acs.org
investigations of receptor binding profiles beyond 5- ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters: managing.editor@
HT2A, such as dopamine, glutamate, and GABA systems; medchemlett.acs.org
molecular mechanisms underlying the rapid and ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science: managing.
sustained effects on neuroplasticity and mood regu- [email protected]
lation; impact of psychedelics on brain circuitry and ACS Bio & Med Chem Au: managing.editor@
functional connectivity, using advanced imaging techni- biomedchemau.acs.org
ques Craig W. Lindsley, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Medicinal
Pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism: optimizing Chemistry orcid.org/0000-0003-0168-1445
pharmacokinetic profiles to balance duration of action Jacob M. Hooker, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Chemical
with therapeutic effect; studies on prodrug design to Neuroscience orcid.org/0000-0002-9394-7708
improve bioavailability and reduce side effects; charac-
terization of metabolite profiles and potential long-term Published: November 25, 2024
toxicities
Preclinical models and translational research: develop-
ment and validation of animal models to evaluate long-
term behavioral and neurochemical effects; translational
studies on biomarkers for treatment response prediction;
© 2024 American Chemical Society https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.4c00127
1 ACS Bio Med Chem Au 2025, 5, 1−2
ACS Bio & Med Chem Au pubs.acs.org/biomedchemau Editorial
Kelly Chibale, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Medicinal Chemistry
Letters orcid.org/0000-0002-1327-4727
Christa E. Müller, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Pharmacology &
Translational Science orcid.org/0000-0002-0013-6624
Squire J. Booker, Deputy Editor, ACS Bio & Med Chem
Au orcid.org/0000-0002-7211-5937
■ AUTHOR INFORMATION
Complete contact information is available at:
https://pubs.acs.org/10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.4c00127
Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the authors and
not necessarily the views of the ACS.
2 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.4c00127
ACS Bio Med Chem Au 2025, 5, 1−2
