Inherited diseases represent a vast group of pathologies resulting from variants in specific genes encoding different proteins, which directly or indirectly affect metabolic pathways or impair mitochondrial and cellular functions. Thus, genetic diseases, depending on which gene is involved, may generate subtle, mild, or severe metabolic phenotypes, caused by enzyme malfunction, structural or functional alterations in proteins or cofactors, or disruptions in cellular signaling or transport mechanisms. The consequences of deranged metabolic pathways can include: - The accumulation of compounds that may become toxic; - A deficiency or absence of the final products of metabolic pathways, leading to a shortage of essential substrates or disruptions in energy production; - The activation of alternative metabolic pathways, potentially producing secondary metabolites that are normally absent and may also be toxic. Emerging literature shows that bioenergetic defects, characterized by reduced energy availability or increased oxidative stress, lead to profound changes in fundamental processes such as mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, and mitochondria–endoplasmic reticulum communication, with pathological consequences at both the cellular and organismal levels.

This Special Collection invites original research articles, reviews, and perspectives aimed at elucidating the mechanistic links between genetic variants and bioenergetic dysfunction. Contributions addressing how specific mutations directly or indirectly impact energy production systems, as well as studies exploring molecular and metabolic pathway alterations associated with these defects, are particularly encouraged.

Depending on where you are located, you may be able to publish open access at no additional cost to you. Researchers at many institutions such as Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany and United Kingdom can publish open access in the journal at no additional cost.

Check your eligibility prior to submission here: Open access funding | Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes | Springer Nature Link

In 2026, the Brazilian Biophysical Society (SBBf) will celebrate ninety years of commitment to advancing biophysics in Brazil and across Latin America. Founded in 1936 by Professor Barbosa Vianna and nineteen other professors the Society emerged during a crucial formative period for scientific institutions in Brazil and South America. From its foundation, SBBf played a key role in shaping a robust academic and research culture in the biophysical sciences at the national level. The original mission of SBBf was to sponsor regular interaction among biophysical researchers, with special care for students pursuing careers in biophysics. To achieve this goal, the Society organized, over the decades, several courses, scientific meetings, conferences, and congresses, thereby creating a fruitful forum for the exchange of ideas, dissemination of new findings, and training of young scientists. Over the decades, these activities have significantly consolidated biophysics as a distinct and respected discipline within the broader Brazilian scientific landscape and have promoted collaborations across Latin America and beyond. The Brazilian Biophysical Society will celebrate its 90^th anniversary with a special edition of Biophysical Reviews to highlight this significant milestone. In addition to honoring the Society’s past, this special issue will include review articles that highlight new developments and potential paths for the future of biophysics in Brazil and throughout South America. The issue aims to represent the scope and depth of current biophysical research in the region by showcasing fields in which Brazilian researchers have made significant contributions, including structural, molecular, cellular, and systems biophysics. This special issue of Biophysical Reviews aims to honor the accomplishments of the SBBf while motivating the upcoming generation of scientists by combining historical viewpoints and forward-looking assessments.

Special Issue Editors: Leandro R. S. Barbosa; Eneida De Paula, Antonio J. Costa-Filho, and Rosangela Itri

Submission Deadline: June 15, 2026. Those contributing are requested to accept this invitation by March 15, 2026. When submitting your article, please choose the correct Special Issue assignment to prevent it from being included in the regular article section, and please also suggest three reviewers capable of evaluating your manuscript.

Submission Format: Biophysical Reviews publishes two types of review formats: short reviews (3000–4000 words, ~ 3 figures) or long reviews (10,000 words, ~ 10 figures); Commentaries (200–400 words, 1 figure, ~ 10 references) are also available.

About Biophysical Reviews: Launched in 2009, Biophysical Reviews is the official journal of the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics, classified as a Q1 journal in biophysics and currently holding an impact factor of 3.7; the journal publishes both short and long reviews authored by key figures in the field, with most contributions being invited, although interested authors are encouraged to contact the Editor regarding potential submissions. Biophysical Reviews covers the entire field of biophysics, broadly defined as the science of describing and defining biological phenomena using the concepts and techniques of physics, including but not limited to bioinformatics, biophysical methods and instrumentation, medical biophysics, biosystems, cell biophysics and cellular organization, macromolecule dynamics, structure and interactions, single-molecule biophysics, membrane biophysics, channels and transport.