Genomic Evolution and Immune Dysregulation and Their Translational Significance in Cancer

  • 5,563

    Total downloads

  • 16k

    Total views and downloads

Submit your idea

Select the journal/section where you want your idea to be submitted:

Submit your manuscript

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

In spite of several novel treatments becoming available in recent years, most cancers remain incurable. A fraction of cells survive the treatment (as minimal residual disease) and eventually lead to relapse. The central problem is that many treatments either themselves exploit and/or induce DNA damage, or they are combined with agents (such as melphalan) which induce DNA damage. Such treatments, although they kill cancer cells, also increase genomic instability in remaining cancer cells and normal cells. Since genomic instability serves as a tool for acquisition of genomic and functional changes required for disease progression, it is necessary that we elucidate mechanisms underlying genomic instability to delineate pathogenesis, overcome drug resistance, and develop therapeutics which would target and not assist genomic evolution.

The ability to constantly evolve not only enables the cancer cell to acquire new characteristics aiding the development and progression of disease, but also presents a great challenge for cancer treatment and diagnosis. Moreover, changes acquired as a consequence of genomic instability may predict patient outcomes. Genomic instability can be a consequence of a number of factors which can be extrinsic, such as exposure to harmful agents in food and environment, or intrinsic, such as food metabolites and/or aberrations in pathway/s involved in genome maintenance. The mechanisms underlying genomic instability and their activation during carcinogenesis are not fully understood, and identification of these mechanisms (both extrinsic and intrinsic) could help in the development of novel strategies for cancer prevention and treatment.

Recently, whole exome and whole genome sequencing have been leveraged to define specific mutational signatures and types of clonal evolution which can give insight into mechanisms and processes underlying genomic instability in cancer. Similarly, the application of these powerful approaches on single cells has further revolutionized the field of genomics and cancer research. Although some of these tools have led to the identification of novel targets, it still remains to be seen: 1) If mutational signatures can accurately predict corresponding activity; 2) Does a specific signature and its mediator remain the same in a normal vs. cancer environment; 3) How reproducible are these signatures or the areas of genome they affect; 4) How do newer techniques/tools compare to other platforms, for example RNASeq vs. microarray?; 5) How accurate is the application of these techniques on a single cell? Similarly, the role of inflammation and the tumor microenvironment has also emerged as being of great significance in translational cancer research.

This Research Topic invites Review and Original Research papers describing recent findings in the fields of genomics and genomic evolution, inflammation, and/or the tumor microenvironment, investigating the following:

-Validation and translational relevance of mutational signatures, clonal dynamics and other information derived from whole exome, genome and RNA sequencing.
-Comparisons between newer sequencing technologies and older methods.
- Molecular mechanisms and consequences of genomic instability and inflammation in cancer. Manuscripts may provide novel information in these fields separately or link them together.
- Validation of new prognostic tools and novel therapeutic strategies targeting genomic instability, telomere maintenance, and inflammation.
- Identification of new potential carcinogens and new ideas to reduce exposure and/or prevent new genomic changes resulting in the development or progression of cancer.

Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.

Keywords: genomics, immue dysregulation, genomic instability, DNA damabe, whole exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing

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.

Topic editors

Topic coordinators

Frequently asked questions

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

     

  • 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 

  • 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 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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.

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

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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

     

Impact

  • 16kTopic views
  • 10kArticle views
  • 5,563Article downloads
View impact