Enhancing Vaccine Responsiveness in the Aging Population Through Advanced Immunology

With a rapidly aging global population, there is an urgent need to address the unique healthcare challenges faced by older adults. Currently, there is a significant increase in aging-related diseases such as cancers, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases, which disproportionately affect this demographic. Furthermore, events like the COVID-19 pandemic have underlined the critical vulnerabilities of older adults, with a majority of COVID-19 related deaths occurring in this age group. Although there is substantial research on how aging affects the immune system, including processes like immunosenescence and inflammaging, critical gaps remain. These gaps include a lack of understanding about the specific molecular mechanisms that impact immune responses, and the need for personalized vaccine strategies and improved interventions to boost vaccine efficacy in older adults.

This Research Topic aims to explore groundbreaking research that intersects immunological responses to vaccines and the process of aging. The focus is particularly on leveraging advanced systems immunology techniques to enhance our understanding of how aging impacts vaccine responsiveness. These techniques include, but are not limited to, serology, flow cytometry, cytokine profiling, single-cell genomics, and spatial transcriptomics. The goal is to develop a more nuanced understanding of the immune landscape in older adults, which can inform the creation of more effective vaccination strategies specifically tailored to meet their needs.

To gather further insights within this niche yet crucial area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

Serological responses to vaccines in the aging population, focusing on neutralizing and breadth of antibodies.
Cellular phenotypes and functionalities before and after vaccination in older adults.
Clinical indicators of vaccine responses in the older population.
Immunological biomarkers and models predictive of vaccine responsiveness.
The impact of aging on tissue immunity and germinal center responses to vaccines.
Insights from animal and human in vitro models regarding vaccine responses in older adults.
Effects of variables like sex and chronic infections on vaccine responsiveness.
Innovative intervention strategies to enhance vaccine efficacy, including formulations, doses, adjuvants, and senolytics.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: aging, vaccines, immunity, biomarkers, interventions

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.