Call for papers - Cell biology of infection

Guest Editors

Leslie Chavez-Galan, PhD, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico
Chunfu Zheng, PhD, University of Calgary, Canada

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 15 April 2025

BMC Microbiology launches the collection Cell biology of infection. This Collection aims to gather research focusing on host-pathogen interactions, mechanisms of cellular response to infection, and the development of therapies to combat bacterial and viral infections. We invite researchers to submit studies on immune responses, pathogen evasion strategies, host cell metabolic reprogramming in response to infections, and applications of advanced techniques (e.g. multi-omics, single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, super-resolution and live cell imaging) to investigate the dynamics of and response to infections.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Leslie Chavez-Galan, PhD, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico

Dr Chavez-Galan completed her PhD at the Autonomous National University of Mexico. She has been a visiting PhD student at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva (Switzerland), and a visiting researcher at the University of Heidelberg (Germany). Dr Chavez-Galan is the chief of the Integrative Immunology Laboratory at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (Mexico), with more than 74 published papers in reputed journals, and often serving as the corresponding author. Her research focuses on studying immunological mechanisms during infectious processes, mainly respiratory pathologies.

Chunfu Zheng, PhD, University of Calgary, Canada

Dr Zheng is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary (Canada). Dr. Zheng's research is internationally recognized for his contributions to antiviral innate immunity to herpesviruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1/2 and varicella-zoster virus, and viral immune evasion mechanisms. Dr Zheng has published more than 120 peer-reviewed biomedical research articles in several prestigious journals, including cover stories and spotlighted feature papers. He earned his PhD in Medical Sciences from Chongqing Medical University, (China) and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Calgary in Canada. Before joining Fujian Medical University, Dr Zheng was a Professor at Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Soochow University (China). Dr Zheng has received numerous awards, including the Hundred-Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has been recognized among the top reviewers and editors for various journals.

About the Collection

The study of cell biology of infection encompasses the complex interactions between the pathogens and host cells. Beyond its fundamental relevance, understanding the cellular and molecular processes underlying infection is also crucial for developing effective strategies to combat infectious diseases.

Recent technical advances (e.g. super-resolution microscopy and live cell imaging) have allowed researchers to visualize the dynamic interactions between pathogens and host cells in real time, providing insights into processes such as pathogen entry, intracellular survival, and host immune responses. In addition, high-throughput and single-cell omics technologies have enhanced the way we can study host-pathogen interactions and responses during infection.

In support of UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being), BMC Microbiology launches the collection, Cell biology of infection. This Collection aims to gather research focusing on host-pathogen interactions, mechanisms of cellular response to infection, and the development of host-directed therapies to combat bacterial and viral infections. We invite researchers and experts in the field to submit research articles that explore, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Understanding how pathogens interact with host cells
Mechanisms of viral infection and host response to viral invasion
Host cellular interactions and responses against mycobacterial infections
The impact of infection on normal cellular functions and processes
Host cell metabolism reprogramming in response to viral and bacterial pathogen infections
Host immune response to infection, and mechanisms used by pathogens to evade it
Bacterial adaptation to the host environment and resistance to immune responses
The role of inflammation in the host response to infection and its impact on cellular functions
Membrane fusion, pore formation, membrane disruption, and viral entry
Cellular signaling pathways during infection
Cellular stress responses induced by infection and their impact on host-pathogen interactions
Infection-induced cell death and its role in host defense
Host-directed therapies to combat bacterial and viral infections
Advanced flow cytometry as a tool to study host-pathogen interactions
Multi-omics approaches to investigate host-pathogen interactions and responses during infection
Single-cell RNA sequencing to study host-pathogen interactions

There are currently no articles in this collection.

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. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Cell biology of infection" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The 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 Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.