This Research Topic is part of the Methods and Protocols in Toxicology series. Other titles in this series are:
•
Methods and Protocols in Computational Toxicology and Informatics •
Methods and Protocols in Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology•
Methods and Protocols in In Vitro Toxicology•
Methods and Protocols in Nanotoxicology•
Methods and Protocols in Neurotoxicology•
Methods and Protocols in ToxicogenomicsPlease submit your article to the Research Topic that best suits the focus of your research.
Introduction and general guidelines Standardized and/or validated protocols are critically important in basic and regulatory toxicology. However, formal validation and acceptance of new methods for hazard assessment, such as under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is laborious and time-consuming. Common guidelines for the reporting of experimental results are also very useful, but only if endorsed by the scientific community as well as by scientific journals. Frontiers in Toxicology has identified a need for a forum where scientists in the many subdisciplines of toxicology can share methods and protocols that are tried and tested. This would open up a dialogue on the ways in which toxicology research is conducted: this includes existing methods adapted for new needs (such as test methods that are validated for traditional chemicals but not yet approved for nanomaterials) or new methods that have been developed to meet the needs of modern toxicology. We also welcome consensus papers, such as proposals for reporting guidelines, preferably from professional organizations at the international level (but national initiatives are also welcome).
As usual, the contributions to this collection will undergo peer-review, but the criteria may be adjusted to fit the present Research Topic; for instance, while novelty is not necessarily decisive, the utility of a method or protocol must be evident. We welcome contributions covering all aspects of toxicology and the submissions will be handled by the team of Topic Editors in the respective sections.
Frontiers in Toxicology supports the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles for scientific data management and stewardship (Wilkinson et al., Sci. Data 3:160018, 2016).
This Research Topic welcomes:
• Methods: Include either existing methods that are significantly improved or adapted for specific purposes or new methods, which may also include primary (original) data. Methods must also be accompanied by some sort of validation or pre-validation. Also, its relevance for toxicology should be highlighted, as well as its performance relative to other methods. Note that Methods do not only refer to experimental methods (or protocols) but can also cover computational or bioinformatics methods for the analysis and/or visualization of toxicological data.
• Protocols: Should provide a detailed description, with pitfalls and troubleshooting, and be of immediate use to the readers. The protocols must be proven to work.
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs): These need to be tested or pre-validated.
• Guidelines: This includes recommendations for reporting standards or other common practices.
• Perspective or General Commentaries on methods and protocols relevant for toxicology.
For more information on the description and formats of the different article types please see
here.
Immunotoxicology guidelines Over the past years, significant progresses have been made regarding the use of
in vitro tests to identify chemicals and drugs altering immune functions and increasing sensitivity to cancers, autoimmune diseases and infections. Nevertheless, these bioassays require to be revitalized from the tremendous advancements in fundamental immunology and cell biology.
This Research Topic on Methods and Protocols is dedicated to environmental and clinical immunotoxicology. We are specifically looking for:
• Reviews highlighting the interests and limits of current
in vitro tests used to predict chemical, pollutant and drug immunotoxicity.
• New
in vitro or
in silico methods/protocols applying immune receptors and sensors, discrete leukocyte populations or novel cytokines, chemokines and danger signals.
• Perspectives on implementation of genetics, epigenetics, proteomics, bioinformatics and system biology for evaluating immune hazard.
• Commentaries/Advances subject-based alerts on new concepts and techniques arising from basic immunology that can be translated in new immune bioassays and mode of actions.
• Systematic reviews identifying gaps and research needs in predictive immunotoxicity.
• New AOP (Adverse Outcome Pathway) articles detailing mechanistic evidence of chemical-induced sensitization, inflammation or immunosuppression.
• Guidelines and recommendations for how to (i) use generated data for risk evaluation and (ii) validate new methods that remain confined in research laboratories.
