Editorial: Discovery of small molecule lead compounds: a driving force to unravel new anti-cancer targets and mechanisms, volume III

Discovery of Small Molecule Lead Compounds: a Driving Force to Unravel New Anti-Cancer 14Targets and Mechanisms-Volume III 15 Natural products featuring complex structures and a wide range of biological activities serve as vital 16 sources for the development of novel anticancer agents, particularly due to their capacity to overcome 17 multi-drug resistance. An effective strategy for discovering new anticancer drugs involves seeking lead 18 compounds that target previously unexplored molecular entities, including specific enzymes, receptors, 19 and genes. Advanced approaches such as computational biology and high-throughput screening can 20 further aid in identifying promising drug candidates. This research topic highlights recent advances in 21 this area and comprises eight articles. We had the opportunity to review a broad spectrum of both 22 original research and review articles within the field. In the following, we present a synthesis of the 23 key findings and concepts elaborated in each of the accepted contributions.