Dear Colleagues,

Chronic diseases are a growing global public health burden, yet the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie their initiation, progression, and response to therapy remains limited, and this gap continues to hinder advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Growing evidence indicates that diverse biological processes, including metabolic regulation, apoptosis, cell signaling, inflammation, mitochondrial homeostasis, oxidative stress, and tissue remodeling, play central roles in shaping disease phenotypes across multiple organ systems. Dysregulation of these interconnected pathways contributes to the development and progression of a wide range of chronic disorders, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, chronic respiratory diseases, and immune-mediated inflammatory conditions. This topic aims to highlight recent advances in the mechanistic and translational study of chronic diseases. We welcome submissions that investigate disease-driving pathways, intercellular communication, biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and innovative intervention strategies with potential clinical relevance. Studies spanning basic, translational, and clinical research are encouraged, particularly those that improve understanding of disease heterogeneity, progression, prognosis, and treatment response. By bringing together mechanistic insights and emerging translational methodologies, this topic seeks to foster a comprehensive understanding of chronic diseases and support the development of more effective and personalized therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Lei Huang
Guest Editor

Manuscripts should be submitted via our online editorial system at https://www.discovmed.com/Journalx_dm/authorLogOn.action by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to start your submission. Manuscripts can be submitted now or up until the deadline. All papers will go through peer-review process. Accepted papers will be published in the journal (as soon as accepted) and meanwhile listed together on the special issue website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts will be thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. Please visit the Instruction for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted manuscripts should be well formatted in good English.