Immunoengineering: An Emerging Field in Infectious Diseases

As the disciplines of materials science, bioengineering, and immunology mature in the 21st century, the convergence science of immunoengineering has emerged as a paradigm to augment host immunity. By delivering biochemical and mechanical cues with engineered precision, the immune system can be stimulated to respond to specific antigens with a designed phenotype. While cancer has driven the early discoveries in immunoengineering, the field of infectious diseases stands to benefit tremendously by applying the concepts of immunoengineering to current clinical challenges. Antimicrobial resistance, highly communicable emerging pathogens, and infections in immunocompromised hosts are some examples of current problems that are suitable for immunoengineering approaches. Here, we will introduce basic concepts associated with immunoengineering and provide current examples applied to infectious diseases, including cell therapies, immunomodulating small molecule delivery, and next-generation vaccine development with implantable biomaterials.