The field of immunology is currently dealing with the challenge of understanding and mitigating the effects of chronic stressors on the human immune system. These stressors, which include lifestyle, environmental, and socioeconomic factors, contribute to the decline in thymic function, a critical component of the adaptive immune system responsible for generating diverse T-cell receptors (TCR). This decline begins early in life and accelerates with age, exacerbated by stress, infections, hormonal changes, obesity, and certain medical therapies. The resulting reduction in TCR diversity compromises the immune system's ability to respond to foreign antigens, increasing susceptibility to infections, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and allergies. Recent studies have explored various biomedical technologies to restore thymic function, such as cytokine application, chemical modulation of thymic stem cells, and transplantation of thymic organoids. However, these approaches have yet to yield consistent results. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into immunology research offers promising avenues for enhancing diagnostic accuracy, predicting therapeutic outcomes, and identifying novel therapeutic targets, yet the field still requires comprehensive exploration and validation.
This research topic aims to advance our understanding of human thymus biology and explore innovative strategies for regenerating thymic function, both in vitro and in vivo. The focus is on leveraging AI and other cutting-edge technologies to address the challenges posed by factors that lead to premature immune-senescence and related diseases. By gathering a diverse array of research contributions, this topic seeks to answer critical questions about the mechanisms of thymic involution, the efficacy of current therapeutic interventions, and the potential of AI to revolutionize immune system research. The ultimate goal is to develop effective strategies for maintaining immune health and preventing immune-associated pathologies.
To gather further insights in the intersection of thymus biology and technological innovation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: - Mechanisms of thymic involution and its impact on immune function - Advances in stem cell technologies for thymus regeneration - Role of AI and ML in predicting and enhancing immune responses - Novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for immune rejuvenation - Comparative analysis of in vitro and in vivo thymus restoration techniques
Topic Editor, Valentin Shichkin, is currently employed by the pharmaceutical company, OmniFarma LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests in regards to this Research Topic.
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Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
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