Annals of Medicine

Biomarkers in Neonatal and Pediatric Care

Over the past decades, pediatric research has focused on a wide spectrum of heterogeneous, often rare disorders occurring across all stages of childhood, from the neonatal period to adolescence. Significant efforts have been devoted to the identification and validation of candidate biomarkers, with the aim of improving understanding of disease pathophysiology, supporting diagnostic processes, refining phenotypic stratification, and informing the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

These advances have contributed to making pediatric care more precise, less invasive, and better tailored to children’s unique biological characteristics. In particular, biomarkers have enabled disease identification at the molecular level, facilitated the implementation of targeted therapies, improved early diagnosis, and allowed more accurate monitoring of treatment responses. They have also played a key role in expanding newborn screening for life-threatening conditions, improving survival rates in pediatric cancers through targeted therapies and immunotherapy, and supporting the development of new and more effective vaccines. Biomarkers have allowed increasing recognition of mental health conditions in children and adolescents, with notable advances in the understanding of heterogeneous phenotypes in disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In parallel, digital health technologies, including wearable devices for continuous health monitoring, and the expansion of telemedicine are transforming pediatric care delivery while generating new, high-quality sources of health data or in other words new biomarkers. Regenerative medicine, gene therapies and tissue engineering have also benefited from a bidirectional relationship with biomarker research, whereby biomarkers both inform therapeutic development and are used to monitor efficacy and safety. Further biotechnological progress, including the implementation of point-of-care testing (POCT), biosensors and the development of diagnostic and predictive algorithms based on artificial intelligence, is enhancing the clinical utility of biomarkers. These innovations are enabling biomarkers with high informational value to be increasingly integrated into routine clinical practice and to guide therapeutic decision-making.

This Article Collection aims to collect original research articles focused on the use of biomarkers in pediatric disorders. Biomarkers are defined according to the National Institutes of Health as “a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacological responses to a therapeutic intervention.” Such biomarkers may be of any type (including blood tests, imaging, function tests, biosensors’ readings, and tracking data) and can be detectable from foetal life through all stages of childhood. Contributions addressing the organizational and operational aspects, challenges, and requirements of pediatric hospital laboratories, particularly those impacting the analytical and clinical performance of biomarkers, are also of interest for this collection.

In addition to original research articles, we welcome clinical trials, case series, commentaries, and authoritative opinion papers that provide context for understanding current challenges, highlight advances driven by emerging technologies, and underscore the relevance of ongoing research in this rapidly evolving field.

Keywords:

1. Biomarkers
2. Pediatrics
3. Children
4. Disorders
5. Prevention

Guest Advisors

Simona Ferraro, Buzzi Children’s Hospital, Milan, Italy

Dr Simona Ferraro is a laboratory professional with extensive research experience in the field of biomarkers, particularly endocrinological and cardiovascular biomarkers. She is specialized in Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology, and in Medical Statistics. She is currently primarily involved in paediatric research and in the development of projects related to space research.

Martina Tosi, Buzzi Children’s Hospital, Milan, Italy

Dr Martina Tosi is a dietitian with a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and research experience in paediatric nutrition, inherited metabolic disorders, and nutritional biomarkers. She is primarily involved in paediatric research and in the development of clinical studies in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). The Guest Advisors declare no Conflicts of Interests.

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 15th March 2027.

Please contact Commissioning Editor Francis Straw at [email protected] with any queries or for details about APC discounts. 

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system. Please select Pediatrics from the list of available sections during submission. Failure to select the appropriate Article Collection or Section name can result in delays.