Linking Human Pathophysiology with Advanced In Vitro Models for Regenerative and Delivery Focused Pharmacology

Disease modeling is advancing alongside the broader adoption of New Approach Methodologies in biomedical research. Patient derived cells, induced pluripotent stem cell systems, gene edited models, multicellular cocultures, organoids, engineered tissues, and organ on chip platforms are increasingly used to study human pathophysiology and pharmacological responses.
Conventional 2D cultures remain valuable for controlled mechanistic studies but often lack the tissue organization, multicellular interactions, and physiological context needed to represent complex disease, which can limit their ability to predict drug efficacy, mechanisms of action, and treatment resistance. Model complexity alone does not necessarily ensure pharmacological relevance. Advanced in vitro models are therefore most informative when they are grounded in human pathophysiology.

This Research Topic welcomes in vitro models that reproduce a defined disease feature and apply it to pharmacological research. Contributions should describe which disease feature the model represents, why it matters for human pathophysiology, and how it may support drug target identification, mechanism of action studies, therapeutic testing, drug delivery, or regenerative strategies. Submissions are expected to include a comparison against patient samples, clinical data, or an established reference system; where this is not feasible, authors should state why

Potential themes include classes of disease models and tissue systems, translational positioning from preclinical assay to first in human, patient and genotype specific drug responses, therapeutic resistance, immune and vascular interactions, inter organ communication, and treatment associated adverse effects.
Regeneration and repair studies may include models of impaired regeneration, fibrosis, or repair failure, together with pharmacological approaches that restore these processes, reverse pathological change, or promote tissue regeneration.
Drug delivery and theranostic studies may examine targeted delivery, carrier penetration, retention, and release within disease relevant tissue environments.

A broad range of article types permitted by the Integrative and Regenerative Pharmacology section is welcome, including Original Research, Methods, Technology and Code, Reviews, Perspectives, and other section approved formats. Academic, industry, and clinical researchers are encouraged to contribute.
Computational modeling, simulation, and multiomics analysis may support model design, target selection, and interpretation when linked to experimentally demonstrated biology.
To remain aligned with the Integrative and Regenerative Pharmacology section, submissions should maintain a clear connection to pharmacology, drug delivery, therapeutic intervention, or regenerative medicine. Platform, device, or engineering advances are most relevant when they include a pharmacological, delivery, or regenerative application.

Article types and fees

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

• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... 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:

• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Human disease modeling, advanced in vitro models, iPSC models, patient derived models, organoids, organ on chip, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), model qualification, regenerative pharmacology, drug delivery systems, translational pharmacology

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.