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Stem cells and cancer

Guest Editors:
Jianhai Jiang, PhD, Fudan University, China
Charles K. Kaufman, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine, USA 
Hernando Lopez-Bertoni, PhD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, USA
Ander Matheu, PhD, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia) San Sebastian, Spain                               


Live fluorescent image of skin from a zebrafish with an initiating melanoma cell expressing EGFP driven by a neural-crest stem cell promoter (green spindly cell, seen among other melanocytes, which are black due to the presence of melanin).BMC Biology called for submissions to our Collection on Stem cells and cancer. This Collection aimed to explore the intricate relationship between stem-cell and cancer biology. 

In particular, we welcomed studies providing new insights on the characterization and regulation of cancer stem cells, the role of stem and progenitor cells of the niche in the propagation of the tumor, and the role of reprogramming in this context, as well as potential therapeutic strategies based on reprogramming or targeting of various stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, studies describing the use of induced pluripotent stem cells for cancer modeling and as a drug discovery platform were also considered, as well as studies on the use of stem cells homing to deliver targeted therapy to tumors.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Jianhai Jiang, PhD, Fudan University, China 

Dr Jiang Jianhai received his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Fudan University in 2007 and the title of Professor from Fudan University in 2013. Dr Jiang has long been engaged in the study of the glycobiology of cancer stem cells. His group systematically explored the function and mechanism of N-glycan and the cancer stem cell marker CD133 in cancer development. Till now, Dr Jiang has published more than 10 papers as a corresponding author in PNAS, J. Biol. Chem. J. Hepatol, Cell Reports, and Advanced Science.
 

Charles K. Kaufman, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine, USA

Dr Kaufman's clinical and research interests focus on transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of cell-type-specific gene regulation, both in normal cells like keratinocytes and melanocytes as well as in cancerous melanoma cells. As a practicing oncologist treating skin cancer patients, he also seeks to synthesize ideas from the lab and clinic with the goal of discovering new therapeutic targets in melanoma. Website.
 

Hernando Lopez-Bertoni, PhD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, USA

Dr Bertoni's research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating stemness and differentiation in neoplastic and non-neoplastic neural cells. Specifically, he is interested in better understanding Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) by studying the molecular mechanism by which these cells acquire a stem-like phenotype and using this knowledge to develop new ways to treat and diagnose the disease. He intends to find miRNAs and tumor suppressive pathways that can limit GBM stem-like tumor-propagating behaviors and use that information to develop novel treatment methods. Website.
 

Ander Matheu, PhD, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia) San Sebastian, Spain

Dr Matheu received his PhD in Molecular Biology from the Autonoma University, Madrid (Spain), in 2005. He is the Head of the Cellular Oncology group in the Oncology Department at the Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, San Sebastian (Spain). The interests of Dr Matheu have always focused on cancer and aging research. Specifically, he is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell deregulation in both processes. Decline in aging and activation of cancer. In the latter, the group is focused on characterizing the impact of cell heterogeneity in tumor initiation and maintenance in several cancer types, including brain and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as cell plasticity in advanced stages of cancer progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance.

About the collection

Live fluorescent image of skin from a zebrafish with an initiating melanoma cell expressing EGFP driven by a neural-crest stem cell promoter (green spindly cell, seen among other melanocytes, which are black due to the presence of melanin).

BMC Biology is calling for submissions on the topic of stem cells and cancer, that explores the intricate relationship between stem cell and cancer biology. In particular, we welcome studies providing new insights on the characterization and regulation of cancer stem cells, the role of stem and progenitor cells of the niche in the propagation of the tumor, and the role of reprogramming in this context, as well as potential therapeutic strategies based on reprogramming or targeting of various stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, studies describing the use of induced pluripotent stem cells for cancer modeling and as a drug discovery platform will be considered, as well as studies on the use of stem cells homing to deliver targeted therapy to tumors.

Articles describing basic biology or translational research are welcome. We encourage novel approaches or applications of existing protocols to explore the stem properties of cancer cells (e.g., single-cell approaches for lineage tracing, computational methods to track tumor cell evolution, leveraging model organisms of development to gain insights into human disease) in vivo and in vitro. Please note that studies based on analysis of existing datasets (e.g., TCGA or scRNA-seq) that lack substantial experimental validation are discouraged.

Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Stem and progenitor cells of the tumor microenvironment
  • In situ reprogramming of cancer stem cells
  • Cancer stem cell plasticity and tumor heterogeneity
  • Stem/progenitor populations and their differentiated descendants in normal development, providing insights into the diverse cell identities within a tumor
  • Cell/molecular basis of potential treatments for cancer, via targeting various types of stem and progenitor cells.
  • Biomarkers and imaging techniques for detecting cancer stem cells
  • Using induced pluripotent stem cells and organoid cultures for cancer modeling and as a drug discovery platform


Image credit: Jon Spalding, PhD in Kaufman Lab, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
Image legend: Live fluorescent image of skin from a zebrafish with an initiating melanoma cell expressing EGFP driven by a neural-crest stem cell promoter (green spindly cell, seen among other melanocytes, which are black due to the presence of melanin)

  1. Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumour in the adult population and its prognosis is dismal. The heterogeneous nature of the tumour, to which epigenetic dysregulation significantl...

    Authors: Claire Vinel, James Boot, Weiwei Jin, Nicola Pomella, Alexandra Hadaway, Charles Mein, Nicolae Radu Zabet and Silvia Marino
    Citation: BMC Biology 2025 23:26
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. 

Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. 

To submit your manuscript to this Collection, please use our online submission system. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Stem cells and cancer" from the dropdown menu.

All articles submitted to Collections are peer reviewed in line with the journal’s standard peer review policy and are subject to all of the journal’s standard editorial and publishing policies. This includes the journal’s policy on competing interests. 

The Guest Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Guest Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editor or Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.