In this Perspective, former and current editors of Molecular Pharmacology, together with the guest editors for this 50th Anniversary Issue, provide a historical overview of the journal since its founding in 1965. The substantial impact that Molecular Pharmacology has had on the field of pharmacology as well as on biomedical science is discussed, as is the broad scope of the journal. The authors conclude that, true to the original goals for the journal, Molecular Pharmacology today remains an outstanding venue for work that provides a mechanistic understanding of drugs, molecular probes, and their biologic targets.The inaugural issue of Molecular Pharmacology was published 50 years ago by the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), a little more than a decade after the structure of DNA was correctly proposed and at a time when other technical advances ushered in the age of molecular biology. Rapid technical and conceptual developments propelled molecular biology forward in those early years, and the relatively new field of molecular pharmacology began to take a dominant role in the broader discipline of pharmacology. By providing a venue for studies that explored molecular mechanisms of drug action and disposition, Molecular Pharmacology assumed a pivotal role that shaped our understanding of pharmacology through the publication of seminal advances in receptor signaling, drug metabolism, and mechanisms of drug action. The tools of molecular biology and molecular pharmacology have subsequently permeated all aspects of biomedical research. The concept of molecular pharmacology is now integral not only in pharmacology itself, but it is also used in most studies of biologic processes.The pursuit of a molecular understanding of many aspects of pharmacology has generated innovative approaches to manipulate complex biologic systems at all levels. In addition, technological advances in genetics, chemical biology, systems biology, structural biology, and synthetic chemistry have created new opportunities to probe drug interactions with molecular targets and to identify their consequences in living animals. In this dynamic era, Molecular Pharmacology remains committed to providing a forum for publication of important discoveries, which include not only groundbreaking advances in drug design and protein structure but also a molecular understanding of cell signaling and drug action within cells, organs, and animals. Molecular Pharmacology has been remarkably successful, publishing articles in all facets of pharmacology irrespective of disease, cell type, classification of target, or technical approach. This broad focus has been intentional (and remains so), providing a backdrop for publication of the very best work.To retain a proactive posture within the biomedical research enterprise, Molecular Pharmacology has been intentionally flexible, adopting new technologies to improve the rapid communication of data and conclusions. For example, Molecular Pharmacology (together with other ASP...
