Organoids, chips, and new models in allergy research

Allergy research has historically relied on traditional systems such as 2D cell cultures and mouse models to uncover mechanisms underlying allergic sensitization, immune responses, and the evaluation of therapeutic strategies. While these established platforms have yielded essential foundational insights, they do not faithfully recapitulate the structural, cellular, and molecular complexity of human allergies in vivo. The limitations of these approaches, such as incomplete modeling of tissue-specific interactions, lack of human-like immune and barrier microenvironments, and insufficient prediction of clinical response, underscore a critical need for more advanced experimental models. In recent years, organoids, organs-on-a-chip, ex vivo tissue explants, and alternative whole-organism systems like C. elegans and zebrafish have emerged at the forefront of allergy research, offering new tools to bridge gaps in pathophysiological understanding, diagnostics, and therapy development. The field is witnessing dynamic growth in the application of these systems, coupled with breakthroughs in single-cell omics, gene editing, and quantitative imaging, which together create unprecedented opportunities for mechanistic and translational discovery.This Research Topic aims to highlight and advance the application of innovative experimental models in allergy research, with a focus on expanding our knowledge of disease mechanisms, improving diagnostic capabilities, and accelerating therapeutic innovation. Our objective is to provide a platform for research that leverages cutting-edge models—ranging from human-derived organoids and microphysiological systems to zebrafish and C. elegans—to investigate fundamental processes like allergic sensitization and Th2 polarization, as well as to benchmark these models against clinical or patient-derived data. We especially encourage studies that integrate powerful technologies, such as single-cell transcriptomics, gene editing, and advanced imaging, to unlock deeper, clinically actionable insights. Ultimately, we seek to foster contributions that drive the field toward translational impact by linking new mechanistic understanding to real-world diagnostic tools, predictive biomarkers, and innovative treatment strategies.A particularly urgent application for these advanced models lies in the safety and allergenicity assessment of cosmetic products. The global ban on animal testing for cosmetics, mandated by the EU Cosmetics Regulation and increasingly mirrored by regulatory frameworks worldwide, has created a critical gap: no fully validated, mechanistically informative test system currently exists to assess the sensitization potential of complex cosmetic formulations, including fragrances, preservatives, and emulsifiers. Skin organoids, with their stratified epidermal architecture and capacity to incorporate immune-competent cells such as Langerhans cells and dendritic cells, are uniquely positioned to recapitulate the early steps of the skin sensitization cascade in a human-relevant context. Similarly, skin-on-a-chip platforms offer dynamic, perfused microenvironments that can model percutaneous exposure to cosmetic ingredients and detect allergenic activity through quantifiable immune and barrier endpoints. We explicitly encourage contributions that apply organoids, microphysiological systems, or related advanced models to the rational assessment of cosmetic product composition and allergenicity, both original research and well-grounded reviews, addressing one of the most pressing unmet needs at the intersection of consumer safety, allergy science, and regulatory innovation.The scope of this Research Topic encompasses a wide, yet focused, range of experimental and analytic advances in allergy modeling, while excluding studies that do not utilize or validate advanced models or that lack translational relevance. To gather further insights into novel models and methodologies in allergy research, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Development and validation of cutting-edge experimental allergy models, including organoids, organ-on-a-chip, ex vivo explants, C. elegans, and zebrafish- Exploration of basic mechanisms of allergic sensitization, immune responses, and tissue remodeling- Advances in diagnostic tools and biomarker identification tailored to allergy detection and patient stratification- Innovations in allergy therapeutics, including drug screening and functional genomics using advanced models- Integration of single-cell and spatial omics, gene editing, and quantitative imaging to dissect allergic mechanisms- Comparative benchmarking of new models against established cellular, animal, or clinical gold standards- Application of skin organoids, skin-on-a-chip, and related microphysiological systems to the allergenicity and sensitization assessment of cosmetic products and their ingredients, in the context of animal-testing bans and evolving regulatory frameworksWhy submit to this Research Topic? This collection is a focused venue for allergy biologists applying organoids and other advanced human-relevant models to clinically meaningful questions, linking mechanisms to biomarkers, patient stratification, and therapy response. Submissions benchmarked against patient cohorts or clinical samples, and papers that improve reproducibility through standardized readouts or methods, are especially encouraged. Topic editors: Sabine Flicker, Tanja Kalic Kamath, Anna Gieras, Rajna Minic Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78799/organoids-chips-and-new-models-in-allergy-research