Next-Generation Biomarkers for Precision Andrology: Advances in Male Reproductive Health

Despite significant advances in reproductive medicine, conventional semen analysis remains the cornerstone of male fertility assessment. Though crucial, it often fails to explain adverse reproductive outcomes in a significant proportion of couples. Emerging scientific evidence highlights that molecular alterations in spermatozoa, seminal plasma, and the male reproductive tract contribute to idiopathic infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, poor embryo development, and assisted reproduction failure. Recent advances in omics technology (proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics), extracellular vesicle biology, and artificial intelligence offer approaches to identify clinically actionable biomarkers and to develop precision medicine strategies in andrology.

This Research Topic aims to bridge the gap between biomarker discovery and clinical implementation by highlighting innovative approaches for diagnosing, predicting, and managing male reproductive disorders, including the often-overlooked male contribution to infertility and idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss.

This Research Topic encompasses a broad range of studies that apply, develop, or validate integrative multi-omics approaches in andrology research, with an emphasis on clinical relevance and practical utility. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews, particularly those addressing (but not limited to) the following sub-topics:

• Multi-omics technologies in andrology, including proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, glycomics, genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, single-cell and spatial omics approaches.
• Novel biomarkers in male reproductive health, including sperm-derived, seminal plasma, seminal exosomes and cell-free molecular biomarkers.
• Non-coding RNAs and epigenetic signatures, including microRNAs, lncRNAs, circular RNAs, DNA methylation, histone modifications as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers.
• Biomarkers of spermatogenic dysfunction and male infertility, including markers of testicular failure, sperm function, oxidative stress, and redox imbalance.
• Precision diagnostics and personalized medicine in andrology, including biomarker-guided patient stratification, treatment selection, and clinical decision-making.
• Male contributory factors in idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss, including sperm DNA fragmentation, chromatin integrity, epigenetic abnormalities, paternal genomic variants, seminal plasma factors, and immune-mediated mechanisms.
• Paternal determinants of embryo development and reproductive success, including fertilization, implantation, embryo quality, recurrent implantation failure, recurrent pregnancy loss, and live birth outcomes.
• Biomarkers predicting assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes, including treatment response, embryo competence, pregnancy achievement, and live birth prediction.
• Systems biology and multi-omics integration for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying male reproductive disorders and fertility outcomes.
• Artificial intelligence, and machine learning in biomarker discovery for diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of reproductive outcomes.

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
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... 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
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• 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: Biomarkers, Andrology, Male Infertility, Multi-Omics, Epigenomics, Sperm DNA Fragmentation, Seminal Plasma, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Assisted Reproductive Technology, Artificial Intelligence

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.