Immune Cell Signaling Networks in Tumor and Regenerative Stem Cell Niches

Dear Colleagues,

Immune cell signaling, constantly sensing biochemical and mechanical cues in the microenvironment, plays a key role in both malignant progression and tissue repair. In tumors, leukocytes are rewired by oncogenic pathways and aberrant matrix stiffness, whereas in regenerative stem cell niches the same signaling axes coordinate repair, remodeling, and homeostasis. This Special Issue, “Immune Cell Signaling Networks in Tumor and Regenerative Stem Cell Niches”, will showcase studies that unravel and therapeutically harness these shared mechanisms. We invite original research and state-of-the-art reviews exploring immune checkpoints, macrophage polarization, T-cell activation, and cytokine/chemokine landscapes via single-cell or spatial omics. Contributions employing engineered biomaterials, from adaptive hydrogels to organ-on-chip platforms, to build precise 3D culture models for mechanistic insight and drug testing are especially welcome, as are manuscripts translating these discoveries into novel immunotherapies, biomaterial-guided cell engineering, or combination strategies that regenerate tissue while restraining cancer. By bringing together expertise in cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering, this issue will distill fundamental principles of immune regulation and outline actionable paths toward next-generation, niche-informed interventions that improve patient outcomes across disease spectra.

Dr. Luigi Racioppi
Guest Editor

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