AI Against Infectious Disease: Accelerating Diagnostics, Drug Discovery, and AMR Surveillance
This Science review examines how artificial intelligence, combined with systems and synthetic biology, is transforming the fight against infectious diseases. The authors cover AI-driven advances in anti-infective drug discovery, infection biology understanding, and diagnostic development, with particular attention to antimicrobial resistance and pandemic preparedness. The work underscores the potential of AI to accelerate diagnostic assay design and pathogen surveillance -- critical capabilities for clinical microbiology laboratories.
The original study
Leveraging artificial intelligence in the fight against infectious diseases.
- Authors
- Wong F, de la Fuente-Nunez C, Collins JJ
- Journal
- Science (New York, N.Y.)
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 37440620
Original abstract
Despite advances in molecular biology, genetics, computation, and medicinal chemistry, infectious disease remains an ominous threat to public health. Addressing the challenges posed by pathogen outbreaks, pandemics, and antimicrobial resistance will require concerted interdisciplinary efforts. In conjunction with systems and synthetic biology, artificial intelligence (AI) is now leading to rapid progress, expanding anti-infective drug discovery, enhancing our understanding of infection biology, and accelerating the development of diagnostics. In this Review, we discuss approaches for detecting, treating, and understanding infectious diseases, underscoring the progress supported by AI in each case. We suggest future applications of AI and how it might be harnessed to help control infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics.