As a result of recent advances in MEMS/NEMS and systems biology, as well as the emergence of synthetic bacteria and lab/process-on-a-chip techniques, it is now possible to design chemical “circuits”, custom organisms, micro/nanoscale swarms of devices, and a host of other new systems at small length scales, and across multiple scales (e.g., micro to macro). This success opens up a new frontier for interdisciplinary signaling techniques using chemistry, biology, novel electron transfer, and other principles not previously examined.

This journal is devoted to the principles, design, and analysis of signaling and information systems that use physics beyond conventional electromagnetism, particularly for small-scale and multi-scale applications. This includes: molecular, quantum, and other physical, chemical and biological (and biologically-inspired) techniques; as well as new signaling techniques at these scales.

As the boundaries between communication, sensing and control are blurred in these novel signaling systems, research contributions in a variety of areas are invited. Original research articles on one or more of the following topics are within the scope of the journal: mathematical modeling, information/communication-theoretic or network-theoretic analysis, networking, implementations and laboratory experiments, systems biology, data-starved or data-rich statistical analyses of biological systems, industrial applications, biological circuits, biosystems analysis and control, information/communication theory for analysis of biological systems, unconventional electromagnetism for small or multi-scale applications, and experiment-based studies on information processes or networks in biology. Contributions on related topics would also be considered for publication.

Special Issue on Interconnecting Molecular and Terahertz Communications for Future 6G/7G Networks
Submission Date: 2025-04-01

As 6G/7G networks continue to evolve, a critical challenge lies in enabling communication across vastly different scales, ranging from nanometers to meters. In this context, molecular communication (MC), which uses molecules to transmit information, provides an innovative solution for communication within biological environments, such as inside the human body. However, MC alone is limited by its short-range and slow data transmission rates, and requires conversion to a different medium to interconnect to 6G/7G infrastructure. This is where Terahertz (THz) communication comes into play. Operating in the frequency range of 0.1 to 10 THz, THz communication are facilitated by devices at similar scale that can also be used for sensing and interfacing to MC nanonetworks. 

By integrating MC with THz communication, it becomes possible to establish a heterogeneous network that operates seamlessly across different scales. In such a network, MC forms the underlying layer, responsible for transmitting information at the micro- or nano-scale using molecules as information carriers, particularly in intra-body applications. Meanwhile, THz communication acts as a bridge, facilitating the conversion of information between the molecular domain (inside the body) and the electromagnetic domain (outside the body). This combination enables real-time monitoring, precise diagnostics, and drug delivery systems that can communicate both within the body and with external devices such as wearable sensors or medical diagnostic systems.

6G/7G networks are expected to incorporate a wide range of technologies, including emerging IoT and AI/ML-driven applications, to create intelligent systems capable of operating autonomously. In this context, MC-THz heterogeneous networks will enable disruptive applications in fields such as healthcare, biomedical monitoring, environmental sensing, and smart agriculture, where data can be collected at the molecular level and transmitted to external systems for analysis and action.

This Special Issue aims to explore how MC and THz communication can be combined to form a powerful interface in heterogeneous networks for 6G/7G networks, enabling seamless communication between biological systems and external IoT networks. We encourage submissions that address theoretical, experimental, and practical challenges in the field. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

    Interface protocols for translating molecular signals into THz communication for intra-body and out-of-body communication in healthcare and biomedical systems.
    Cross-layer designs integrating MC, THz communication, and AI/ML to improve performance in micro/nano-scale networks, particularly for IoBNT.
    Experimental prototypes and simulation models of MC-THz hybrid systems for multi-scale communication in healthcare, environmental, and industrial applications.
    Security, privacy, and data integrity frameworks for MC integrated with IoT and IoBNT using THz communication in 6G/7G networks.
    New network architectures for 6G/7G networks that can bridge towards MC-THz heterogeneous networks.
    Generative foundation models (e.g., generative pretrained transformers (GPTs)) that can be used in 6G/7G networks to process large volumes of data from MC systems.
    Federated Learning systems to manage large-scale MC-THz heterogeneous networks in 6G/7G. 
    Energy-efficient modulation and coding techniques for MC in heterogeneous networks, supporting high-performance data transmission.
    Open issues and solutions for the seamless co-integration of both MC and THz communication into the nanonetwork technology landscape.

Submission Guidelines

Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE TMBMC guidelines. Authors should submit a manuscript through Manuscript Central.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Deadline: 1 April 2025
First Notification: 1 June 2025 
Acceptance Notification: 31 August 2025
Final Manuscript Due: 15 September 2025
Publication Date: December 2025

Guest Editors

Miaowen Wen (Lead Guest Editor)
South China University of Technology, China

Yu Huang
Guangzhou University, China

Xuan Chen
Guangzhou University, China

Nan Yang
Australian National University, Australia

Yao Wei
China Telecom Research Institute, China

Hadeel Elayan
Northeastern University, USA

Tianqi Mao
Beijing Institute of Technology, China