Innovations in Epigenomics: Bridging Technology Development and Disease-Modifying Therapies

Epigenomics is at the forefront of biomedical innovation, offering unprecedented insights into the mechanisms that regulate gene expression beyond the genome itself. Due to their nature, Epigenetic changes are highly dynamic and hard to capture but at the same time hold great promise as therapeutic targets since they can be reversed. Recent years have witnessed a technological renaissance in the field, with the advent of long-read sequencing, spatially resolved imaging, single-cell profiling, and high-throughput editing technologies dramatically enhancing our understanding of epigenetic landscapes in health and disease. These approaches have propelled forward a new era in which it is possible to both monitor and manipulate chromatin states with extraordinary precision. Despite this progress, significant challenges remain in translating these foundational advances into meaningful disease-modifying therapies. Key questions persist regarding the durability, specificity, and safety of epigenetic interventions, while debates around ethical considerations, data sharing, and equitable access to emerging therapies continue to shape the field.

This Research Topic aims to accelerate the integration of innovative epigenomic technologies with translational strategies that promise to redefine the treatment of complex diseases. The goal is to uncover mechanistic insights that can be leveraged for targeted interventions across a spectrum of disorders, such as cancer, neurodegeneration, metabolic dysfunction, and rare genetic syndromes. We seek to bridge computational and experimental approaches, fostering research that not only elucidates the causal links between epigenetic regulation and disease but also demonstrates tangible paths toward lasting clinical benefit. Special emphasis will be placed on perspectives that address societal, regulatory, and ethical challenges intrinsic to this evolving landscape.

To gather further insights into the evolving intersection of tool innovation and therapeutic application within epigenomics, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Next-generation sequencing, imaging, and high-throughput screening tools for epigenetic analysis
o AI- and machine learning-based predictive models in epigenomic research and therapy design
o CRISPR and programmable epigenome-editing platforms for precise gene regulation
o Translational and preclinical pipelines: from mechanistic discovery to disease-modifying interventions
o Frameworks for real-time visualization and functional control of chromatin dynamics
o Ethical, societal, and regulatory dimensions of emerging epigenomic therapies
o Resources, toolkits, and data platforms accelerating community-wide progress
o Strategies for patient stratification, biomarker development, and response monitoring

The scope is open to original research, methods, reviews, perspectives, and resource articles that advance the frontier of epigenomic science and its clinical translation.

Article types and fees

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

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... 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
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: epigenomic tools, disease, technologies, Epigenomics, Epigenetic therapies, Chromatin dynamics, Single-cell epigenomics, Long-read sequencing, CRISPR-based epigenome editing, AI and machine learning in epigenetics, Translational epigenetics, Biomarkers and patient stratification, Ethical and regulatory aspects of epigenomic therapies

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.