Advancing Non-Invasive Diagnostics for Graft Rejection in Kidney and Kidney-Pancreas Transplantation

Diagnosis of graft rejection remains a major challenge in kidney and simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Although tissue biopsy remains the diagnostic gold standard for the assessment of allograft rejection, there is a growing need for accurate, reproducible, and minimally invasive tools capable of detecting rejection earlier, monitoring treatment response, and guiding individualized immunosuppressive strategies.The goal of this Research Topic is to showcase cutting-edge research that advances the development, validation, and clinical implementation of non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis, prediction, and monitoring of graft rejection in kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation. We aim to bridge fundamental discoveries and clinical application, including new generation of biomarkers, including donor-derived cell-free DNA, peripheral blood transcriptomic signatures, immune cell phenotyping, proteomics, metabolomics, extracellular vesicles, and integrative multi-omic approaches. We highlight studies that improve patient stratification, support personalized immunosuppression, and ultimately contribute to better long-term transplant outcomes.We welcome original research articles, reviews, systematic reviews, perspectives, and translational studies addressing innovative diagnostic approaches and emerging technologies in transplant monitoring.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:- Biomarker discovery and validation in kidney and pancreas transplantation.- Prediction of treatment response and immunosuppression optimization.- Comparative studies between invasive and non-invasive diagnostic strategies.- Donor-derived cell-free DNA for rejection surveillance.- Blood-based transcriptomic signatures and gene-expression profiling.- Multi-omic approaches integrating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics.- Immune monitoring and immunophenotyping for diagnosis and risk stratification.- Machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to transplant diagnostics.- Clinical implementation, health economics, and real-world evidence supporting biomarker adoption.Topic Editor, Pedro Ventura-Aguiar, is a co-inventor on a patent for the utility of novel biomarkers in pancreas transplantation (WO2024059514A1). The other Topic Editors report no competing interests related to this Research Topic. Topic editors: Pedro Ventura-Aguiar, Eva Vonbrunn, Jasper Callemeyn, Guilherme T. Ribas Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86328/advancing-non-invasive-diagnostics-for-graft-rejection-in-kidney-and-kidney-pancreas-transplantation