Advances and Challenges in Stroke Therapy: A Regenerative Prospective - Vol III

Stroke is one of the leading contributors to mortality and long-term disability worldwide, imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden and reinforcing the urgent need for improved therapeutic strategies. Thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) remains the only FDA-approved pharmacological therapy for restoring cerebral reperfusion following acute ischemic stroke. However, its clinical utility is limited by a narrow therapeutic window and the risk of hemorrhagic transformation, restricting treatment to only a small proportion of patients. These constraints underscore the pressing need for innovative regenerative solutions that can restore or replace damaged neural tissue and address the limitations of current interventions. Furthermore, a broader exploration of mechanistic insights and therapeutic technologies is critical for overcoming existing barriers in stroke care.In response, increasing attention has turned toward neurorestorative strategies, particularly stem cell-based therapies, which have demonstrated promising outcomes in experimental and preclinical models of ischemic stroke. Multiple stem cell sources—including embryonic, fetal, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells—are being explored for their potential to promote neural repair. Although encouraging progress is evident, many methodological and translational challenges persist, such as determining the most effective cell types, optimizing dosing and delivery routes, and ensuring long-term survival and integration of transplanted cells in the complex post-ischemic brain environment. Limited cell retention and viability within the hostile post-ischemic microenvironment continue to represent major barriers to successful translation. In this context, recent advances in bioengineering, nanotechnology, and biomaterials science are opening new avenues to address these challenges. Notably, the emergence of biomimetic, bio-inspired, and bio-enabled materials, together with nanomaterial-based delivery systems and engineered microenvironments, offers promising opportunities to improve therapeutic cell survival, enhance delivery and targeting efficiency, and enable precise, real-time monitoring of regenerative processes in the injured brain.This Research Topic aims to highlight state-of-the-art neuromethods, analytical approaches, and technological innovations that support the advancement of regenerative strategies for stroke and other neurological injuries. By assembling pioneering methodological breakthroughs—spanning nanomaterial-enabled delivery systems, advanced imaging modalities, biomimetic scaffolds, and novel cell-engineering platforms—this Research Topic seeks to empower the neuroscience and regenerative medicine communities with cutting-edge tools for experimental and translational progress.To advance the methodological frontiers of regenerative stroke research, the scope of this Research Topic includes original research and comprehensive reviews focused on innovative regenerative interventions in stroke. Studies that address mechanistic understanding, technological innovation, and translational potential are encouraged, while purely observational or non-regenerative studies are outside the intended scope. We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Emerging technologies for the delivery, targeting, and retention of therapeutic cells within ischemic brain tissueo Design and utilization of nanomaterials, biomimetic, bio-inspired, or bio-enabled biomaterials and scaffolds that support cell survival and integrationo Advanced imaging modalities, in vivo tracking, and analytical tools for monitoring transplanted cell fate and brain tissue remodelingo Innovative in vitro and in vivo experimental platforms, including organoids, engineered microenvironments, and preclinical stroke modelso Novel formulations for growth factors, hormones, extracellular vesicles, nanoformulations, and combinatorial strategies to enhance neural repair and recovery. Topic editors: Viola B Morris, Hassan Azari, Syed Shadab Raza Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79175/advances-and-challenges-in-stroke-therapy-a-regenerative-prospective---vol-iii