Preclinical and Clinical Methodologies in (Para)thyroid Diseases

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editor

Han Luo

West China hospital, Sichuan University

Han Luo is an associate professor at the Laboratory of thyroid and parathyroid disease, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and an attending surgeon at West China Hospital. Dr. Luo has completed his education at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and West China School of Medicine. He has also served as the International Cooperation Secretary of the department to keep in touch with the College of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Otolaryngology, Arizona Tucson Medical Center, and Head and Neck Surgery of UT MDA for a long time. Dr. Luo has explained a series of biological behaviors caused by dedifferentiation of the endocrine tumors, especially thyroid cancer, mainly based on the genome, the transcriptome of single-cell, and preclinical models. He is also engaged in clinical translational research on thyroid cancer, with a special focus on undifferentiated thyroid cancer, a rare type of cancer with very high malignancy.

Collection Overview

Disorders of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, including conditions such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, primary hyperparathyroidism, and hypoparathyroidism, represent a significant global health burden due to their high prevalence and diverse clinical manifestations affecting metabolism, calcium homeostasis, cardiovascular health, and bone physiology. Rapid progress in endocrinology, molecular biology, and clinical medicine has created new opportunities to better understand the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of these disorders.

Despite substantial progress, several challenges remain in the field. Variability in experimental models, limitations in disease modeling, difficulties in early diagnosis, and inconsistencies in clinical assessment strategies continue to hinder translational progress. Furthermore, emerging technologies in molecular profiling, imaging, surgical techniques, and therapeutic monitoring require standardized protocols and rigorous validation to ensure reproducibility and clinical relevance. The integration of preclinical discoveries with clinical methodologies remains particularly important for translating mechanistic insights into improved patient care.

This Collection aims to provide a comprehensive platform for the dissemination of diverse preclinical and clinical approaches related to thyroid and parathyroid disorders. The collection will welcome methodological studies, original research articles, and reviews covering diverse areas such as experimental disease models, molecular and cellular analyses, biomarker discovery, diagnostic and imaging techniques, surgical and therapeutic interventions, computational and systems biology approaches, and translational studies bridging laboratory findings with clinical applications.

By bringing together methodological advances and clinical insights, this collection will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and translational scientists working in endocrinology. It will promote methodological standardization, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and accelerate the development of improved diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for thyroid and parathyroid diseases.