Insights in Systems and Synthetic Immunology

The immune system is a dynamic network of interacting cells, molecular signals, tissues, and environmental influences. Systems and synthetic immunology integrates immunology with systems biology, synthetic biology, computational science, and clinical translation to understand, predict, and engineer immune responses. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial omics have revealed substantial heterogeneity and context dependence across immune states, while computational approaches are increasingly being used to model signaling networks, cell–cell communication, and antigen–receptor interactions. At the same time, engineered receptors, cellular therapies, and synthetic immune circuits are opening new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. However, challenges remain in integrating multimodal data, validating predictive models across physiological contexts, controlling engineered immune functions, and translating discoveries into safe and effective applications. A more cohesive investigation is needed to connect descriptive immune profiling with mechanistic understanding, predictive capacity, and clinically relevant design principles.This Research Topic aims to provide an overview of recent advances in systems and synthetic immunology and to identify emerging directions for the field. It will explore how high-dimensional immune profiling, mathematical and machine-learning models, and engineered cells or molecular circuits can be combined to address complex biological and clinical questions. Particular attention will be given to the physiological constraints, design principles, and translational challenges that influence immune responses in health and disease. The Research Topic will also consider how these approaches can improve understanding and treatment of cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and vaccine responses, while informing the development of more precise and adaptable immunotherapies.To gather further insights into the integration of quantitative immune profiling, predictive modelling, and immune engineering across physiological, pathological, and therapeutic settings, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• High-dimensional profiling of immune cells and tissues using single-cell, spatial, and multimodal omics• Computational modelling of immune signalling networks and cell–cell communication• Design and engineering of synthetic immune cells, receptors, molecular circuits, and cellular therapies• Systems-level analysis of vaccine-induced immune responses, adjuvants, and immune memory• Systems approaches to host–pathogen interactions and immune evasion• Systems immunology of autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, and oncological diseases• Machine-learning and artificial-intelligence frameworks for predicting antigen–receptor specificity• Integration of multi-omics data with mechanistic and predictive models• Quantitative assessment of immune-cell state transitions and tissue microenvironments• Safety, controllability, and translational implementation of engineered immune systemsThis collection welcomes contributions reflecting on current developments and plotting pathways for upcoming research, from Editorial Board Members of the section, from authors they refer, and, on invitation, from a small number of external researchers whose work is shaping the direction of the field. Authors are encouraged to engage critically with their fields, identify the current challenges, and propose novel solutions that advance our understanding of complex biological systems. Topic editors: Agustin Cruz, Valentina Di Salvatore Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84362/insights-in-systems-and-synthetic-immunology