About this Research Topic

Background

The increasing burden on the world health care system due to infectious diseases is alarming. The incidences of Ebola outbreaks as well as reports of new cases of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases highlight the need for more concerted efforts to tackle these diseases. The challenges for diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases development of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies are significant. The added complications of antibiotic resistance strains have rendered conventional therapeutic strategies ineffective. Therefore, a paradigm shift towards recombinant antibody technology may help to elevate the complications associated to the development of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for infectious diseases.

The advent of monoclonal antibody (mAb) technology began with the description of the hybridoma technology by Köhler and Milstein in 1975. Since then, the pioneering work of George P. Smith to introduce phage display technology in 1985, antibody phage display was developed in 1990/91, which revolutionized the way mAbs are to be generated into the 20th century. Recently in 2018, the antibody phage display technology was accorded with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The application of phage display for antibody display was the cornerstone to the introduction of derivative display methods for the discovery of mAbs. Since then, alternative display methods like yeast, ribosome, mammalian cell, insect cell and bacterial cell display have been applied for mAb discovery.

Although more than 80 recombinant antibodies have been approved for market as of 2019 and hundreds more are under clinical trials, majority of the mAbs are designed mainly for oncology indications. In terms of antibodies for infectious diseases, only three antibodies have been approved. These are Palivizumab for the treatment and prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease, Raxibacumab against anthrax toxin and Bezlotoxumab to prevent recurrence of Clostridium difficile infections. As the application of mAbs are increasing together with developments in research and development laboratories worldwide, it is likely that a sea of new mAbs for infectious diseases will come into play in the near future.

Articles covering but not limited to the following topics will be considered for submission:
• Use of mAbs as potential immunotherapeutic molecules;
• Development of mAbs against various toxins;
• Description of mAb interaction with pathogen-associated targets;
• Application of novel approaches for the discovery of mAb against infectious agents;
• Antibody repertoire diversity in infectious disease;
• Development of novel computational approaches for the discovery of mAb against infectious agents.

Topic Editor Theam Soon Lim has received industry contracts from Cellvec Pvt. Ltd. and Novatec Immunodiagnostica GmbH. Topic Editor Michael Hust is the co-founder for Norden Vaccines GmbH, YUMAB GmbH and mAb-factory GmbH. Topic Editor Livia Visai has received funding from Eurocoating S.p.A. and Orthofix Inc. in the last 10 years.

Keywords: Recombinant Antibodies, Infectious Diseases, Display Methods, Phage Display, Toxins

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

  In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my Research Topic?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.