Dear Colleagues,

While the origins of molecular imprinting science and technology can be traced back to the early 1930s, we have witnessed an explosion of interest in the field during the past thirty years, accompanied by a rapid growth in new and exciting applications of these unique materials. A step change in the pace of research in the field has resulted from the demonstration that molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can possess recognition characteristics at least comparable to antibodies, with greater stability and versatility, and with the potential to be used in a range of application areas requiring selective molecular recognition properties. Subsequent developments in the science have significantly improved our understanding of the molecular imprinting process and how MIPs function. These developments have been accompanied by the introduction of new methods for the study and design of MIPs, novel polymer compositions and formats, and the deployment of MIPs in an increasing number of application areas, ranging from separations and sensing to therapeutics and catalysis. We see the current breadth of developments in science as motivation to summarize the current state of this multidisciplinary field and to present informed insights concerning current and future trends.

We invite you to contribute original papers and reviews for a Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences devoted to “Current Developments and Future Trends in Molecular Imprinting Science and Technology” which is to be published in 2023.

Prof. Dr. Ian A. Nicholls
Dr. Michael J. Whitcombe
Guest Editors