Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Key Components in Infection Control, Wound Healing, and Cancer Therapy

Dear Colleagues,

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are central to numerous physiological and pathological processes, with dual roles in cellular signaling and oxidative stress. In recent years, ROS have gained increasing attention as critical mediators in therapeutic strategies for infection control, tissue repair, and oncology.

This Special Issue aims to explore the versatile and evolving roles of ROS in translational medicine, focusing on:

• Infection control: including bactericidal mechanisms, immune defense modulation, and strategies against antibiotic-resistant pathogens and biofilms.
• Wound healing: particularly the redox-regulated phases of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling in acute and chronic wounds.
• Cancer therapy: where ROS contribute to apoptosis induction, redox imbalance, immune activation, and improved response to chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic agents. 

We welcome experimental, clinical, and theoretical contributions addressing ROS-related mechanisms, antioxidant defense systems, and redox-sensitive signaling pathways. Special attention will be given to innovative therapeutic strategies that harness or modulate ROS—including drug delivery systems, biomaterials, and novel technologies such as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and plasma-activated media (PAM). 

By integrating diverse perspectives from redox biology, immunology, oncology, infectious disease, and regenerative medicine, this Special Issue seeks to highlight the potential of ROS-targeted approaches in improving human health and developing next-generation therapies.

Dr. Christian Scharf
Guest Editor

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