Nano-immunoengineering for Cancer and Inflammatory Diseases

Nano-immunoengineering is an interdisciplinary field built on the convergence of nanotechnology, immunology, materials science and engineering. The immune system is a central determinant of disease outcomes across oncology and inflammatory diseases, but its inherent complexity has hindered durable therapeutic interventions. Conventional immunotherapies are often limited by systemic toxicity, poor tissue targeting, and an inability to discriminate between pathological and homeostatic immune activity. Nanoscale platforms provide a transformative strategy to address these challenges. Through the rational engineering of particle size, morphology, surface chemistry, and responsive functionalities, nanosystems can selectively engage immune cells and tissue microenvironments with a level of spatiotemporal precision unattainable using traditional therapeutics. Recent advances in targeted delivery, biomaterials design, immune cell engineering, and clinically validated nanomedicines have accelerated the translation of nano-immunoengineering concepts into therapeutic reality, positioning the field at the forefront of next-generation treatments for cancer, autoimmune disorders, and chronic inflammatory diseases.Despite substantial progress, several critical challenges continue to limit the full therapeutic potential of nano-immunoengineering. The design principles linking nanoparticle physicochemical properties to specific immunological outcomes are incompletely defined. Key mechanisms governing selective immune cell targeting, intracellular trafficking, endosomal escape, and cargo fate within primary immune cells require further elucidation. Scalable GMP manufacturing of complex immunomodulatory nanosystems and the regulatory frameworks needed to evaluate their safety and biodistribution are still maturing. This Research Topic seeks to advance the field by bringing together contributions spanning the full spectrum of nano-immunoengineering, from fundamental materials design and structure-function relationships to pre-clinical immunology, therapeutic efficacy, manufacturing, and clinical translation. By uniting contributions from nanotechnology, immunology, formulation science, bioengineering, and regulatory science, it aims to define the current state of the field, identify key knowledge gaps, and highlight emerging opportunities for the development of next-generation nano-immunotherapeutics for cancer and inflammatory diseases.To gather further insights into nano-immunoengineering for cancer and inflammatory diseases, we welcome contributions that explore the multifaceted aspects of design, function, and translation of immunomodulatory nanomedicines. We invite submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: • Nanoparticle design and immunomodulation: engineering lipid, polymeric, and inorganic nanomaterials with controlled structures, stimuli-responsiveness, and tunable immune interactions• Nano-immunotherapy for cancer: leveraging nanosystems to remodel the tumor microenvironment, enable targeted vaccine delivery, and synergize with checkpoint inhibitors• Nanotechnology-enabled immune cell engineering: non-viral and LNP-based nucleic acid delivery for the reprogramming of immune cells ex vivo or in vivo• Nanotherapeutics for inflammation and immune tolerance: strategies to suppress pathogenic inflammation and reestablish immune homeostasis in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions• Translational, safety, and regulatory considerations: addressing GMP manufacturing, biodistribution profiling, and approval frameworks for clinically viable nano-immunotherapeuticsWe welcome original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, and methodological studies.Topic Editor Aditi Jhaveri is employed by Repertoire Immune Medicines and Topic Coordinator Dominika Joanna Nowakowska is employed by BioNTech US. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject. Topic editors: Aditi Jhaveri, Chang Wang, Yuebao Zhang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83286/nano-immunoengineering-for-cancer-and-inflammatory-diseases