Primary central nervous system (CNS) malignancies present unique therapeutic challenges due to their complex biology, immunosuppressive microenvironment, and unique anatomical positions. While immunotherapy has transformed cancer care, its efficacy in brain cancers remains limited by a multitude of factors, including restricted immune cell infiltration, immunosuppressive microenvironment, tumor-intrinsic resistance, and treatment-related neurotoxicity. This Research Topic seeks to showcase innovative research and perspectives that leverage emerging technologies to overcome these barriers and advance immunotherapy for brain tumors.
This Research Topic aims to highlight cutting-edge advances that are redefining immunotherapy strategies for CNS tumors. We invite interdisciplinary contributions exploring the latest advances in cellular therapies, mRNA-based platforms, and CRISPR technologies, which are driving new strategies to enhance immune responses and correct tumor-promoting mechanisms.
Moreover, novel gene therapy approaches—including viral vectors, non-viral delivery systems, and gene-modulating nanoparticles—are enabling localized immune modulation and improved antigen presentation. Advanced analytical platforms such as mass cytometry, spectral flow cytometry, proteomics, and biomarker discovery pipelines are transforming immune profiling, enabling more precise patient stratification and therapeutic decision-making.
Furthermore, innovative experimental models, including patient-derived and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based 3D organoids and microfluidic “tumor-on-a-chip” systems, provide physiologically relevant platforms to study tumor–immune interactions and evaluate therapeutic interventions. Novel delivery modalities such as focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubble technology offer noninvasive strategies to transiently disrupt the BBB, enabling targeted delivery of antibodies, cell therapies, and gene-editing systems while also promoting local immune activation.
Complementary advances in multi-omics profiling, AI-driven biomarker discovery, and advanced cytometry are further improving immune characterization and patient stratification.
By showcasing technological advancements, innovations in experimental models, combination strategies, and translational insights, this Research Topic seeks to accelerate the development of next-generation immunotherapies and advance safer, more durable, and personalized treatment options for patients with malignant brain tumors.
This Research Topic accepts submissions in the following formats: Brief Research Report, Case Report, Classification, Clinical Trial, Editorial, FAIR² Data, General Commentary, Hypothesis and Theory, Methods, Mini Review, Opinion, Original Research, Perspective, Review, Study Protocol, Systematic Review, and Technology and Code. All published articles will undergo rigorous external peer review and may be subject to publication fees.
Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this Research Topic. Manuscripts focusing solely on cost-effectiveness studies are also not considered for publication in this journal.
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
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
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:
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.
