Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Cancer Immunotherapy
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 51
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Interests: hematopoietic stem cells; epitranscriptomics; genetic engineering; leukemia; systems biology; OMICS
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent advances in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology and transplantation have significantly improved cancer treatment, especially for blood cancers. Small molecules like UM171 and SR1 enable the expansion of cord blood-derived CD34⁺ HSCs, enhancing engraftment and reducing complications. New reduced-intensity conditioning regimens minimize toxicity, making transplants safer for older or frail patients. Gene editing tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9, are being investigated to correct mutations or improve HSC function for personalized therapies.
Adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), including CAR-T and CAR-NK cells, have shown great potential in targeting cancers. CAR-NK cells offer the advantage of off-the-shelf use with a lower risk of graft-versus-host disease. Advances in non-viral gene delivery have improved safety and manufacturing scalability.
Supporting technologies like feeder-free culture systems, bioreactors, and improved cryopreservation techniques boost cell expansion, viability, and function. The integration of single-cell sequencing and AI aids in optimizing cell products and predicting patient response.
Despite these innovations, challenges persist. Maintaining long-term HSC stemness during expansion remains difficult. ACT effectiveness against solid tumors is limited by the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion. High costs and manufacturing hurdles restrict patient access. Bridging these gaps is crucial to extend the benefits of these therapies to more cancer patients worldwide.
For this Special Issue of Cancers, we welcome original research and review articles that provide an overview of the most recent advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and immunotherapies for cancer treatment, as well as evolving challenges in this field.
Dr. Harinad B. Maganti
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- hematopoietic stem cell
- transplantation
- leukemia
- cell biology
- CAR-T cell therapies
- immunotherapy
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