Mechanobiology and Mechanomedicine: from Molecular Mechanisms to Innovative Therapeutics

Mechanobiology and mechanomedicine is a rapidly expanding area at the intersection of physics, engineering, biology, and medicine, devoted to understanding how mechanical cues guide cellular behavior and tissue function. A growing body of evidence now demonstrates that mechanical cues are critical regulators of cellular and tissue homeostasis. Disruptions in this mechanical balance are now recognized as a hallmark of numerous diseases, including cancer, fibrosis, cardiovascular disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Significant advances have been made in clarifying the molecular pathways underlying mechanotransduction—the mechanisms by which cells sense, interpret, and respond to mechanical stimuli. However, despite these advances, many gaps remain in our knowledge of how these mechanisms become dysregulated in disease and how such insights can be harnessed for therapeutic benefit.This Research Topic aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of mechanobiological processes at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels, and to accelerate the translation of these fundamental insights into innovative therapeutics. Specifically, it seeks to bridge the gap between the unraveling of core mechanotransduction pathways and the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, including biomaterial-based interventions, pharmacological agents, and advanced devices that target or exploit mechanotransduction pathways. Key objectives include not only furthering our understanding of mechanosensitive elements and the physical microenvironment but also identifying actionable strategies to prevent or correct mechanical imbalances underlying disease pathology.Therefore, to gather further insights in the field of mechanobiology and mechanomedicine, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:1. Fundamental Mechanotransduction Mechanisms: Studies elucidating molecular players, including mechanosensitive ion channels, focal adhesion complexes, and the cytoskeleton, and their roles in sensing forces such as shear stress, compression, and matrix stiffness.2. Mechanobiology in Disease Pathogenesis: Research on the role of mechanical signaling in diseases such as cancer (e.g., metastasis, treatment resistance), fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension, arteriosclerosis), neurodegenerative disorders, and other disorders.3. Innovative Mechanotherapies: Development of therapies based on mechanical principles, including biomaterial scaffolds that mimic physiological stiffness, devices applying therapeutic mechanical stimuli, and drug delivery systems such as extracellular vesicles or nanoparticles engineered for mechanotherapeutic purposes.4. Advanced Technologies and Computational Models: Applications of novel technologies such as microfluidics, organ-on-a-chip models, and advanced microscopy to study cell mechanics. We also encourage submissions using computational modeling, finite element analysis, and AI to predict and understand complex mechanobiological processes. Topic editors: Hui Xu, Xianrui Yang, Tian Chen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77483/mechanobiology-and-mechanomedicine-from-molecular-mechanisms-to-innovative-therapeutics