Opportunities, From the Editors

Call for papers: Microbiome-based therapeutics

This Collection invites original research on the development, mechanisms, and application of microbiome-based therapies, including engineered microbial interventions, live biotherapeutics, pro-, pre-, and synbiotics.

Collection Overview

Scientific Reports has launched a Guest-Edited Collection on Microbiome-based therapeutics

Microbiome-based therapy utilizes microbial communities for medical applications. While existing research has demonstrated its efficacy, many aspects of this field remain underexplored, limiting its full potential in precision medicine. Emerging strategies harness microbial ecosystems for targeted interventions, offering new possibilities for disease prevention and treatment.

This will be a Collection of original research papers and will be open for submissions from all authors – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Scientific Reports more generally. We are welcoming submissions until 7th February 2026.

Why is this Collection important? 

As a researcher working at the intersection of microbiome science, complementary medicine, and precision health, I see microbiome-based therapeutics as a promising frontier for truly individualized care. This Collection is especially timely as we explore not only engineered biotics and live therapeutics, but also the role of botanical compounds and herbs as emerging prebiotics. I’m excited about contributions that bridge molecular mechanisms with clinical relevance, including AI-driven personalization and culturally rooted interventions. If your work aims to transform microbiome science into accessible, evidence-based therapies, this is the Collection to reach a global, impact-oriented audience.” - Krit Pongpirul

Microbiome-based therapeutics represent an exciting area of medicine, offering new solutions for chronic diseases by addressing microbial imbalances. However, the evidence for conditions other than Clostridioides difficile infection is still developing. Results across various studies often show inconsistencies and frequently rely on very small sample sizes. This special issue is therefore essential; it aims to consolidate the latest research and provide a curated platform to address these challenges, establish best practices, and accelerate the development of safe and effective microbiome-based therapies.” - Chong Chun Wie

Why submit to a Collection? 

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors, who are experts in their fields, and In-House Editors and are supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.

Who is involved? 

Guest Editors:

  • Neelendu Dey, University of Washington, United States
  • Alessandra Pino, University of Catania, Italy
  • Krit Pongpirul, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
  • Chong Chun Wie, Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia

Internal Team:

  • In-House Editor: Snigdha Tiwari, Scientific Reports, India
  • Commissioning Editor: Jenny Knowles, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
  • Managing Editor: Aliya Anwar, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK

How can I submit my paper? 

Visit the Collection Page to find out more about this Collection and how to submit your article.