Precision personalised medicine is increasingly reshaping the way infectious diseases are prevented, diagnosed and treated. In Spain, experts highlight that this approach enables faster identification of infectious agents, more accurate risk prediction and therapies adapted to each patient’s genomic and biological profile.
According to María Teresa Coque, researcher at the Department of Microbiology of Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid, precision medicine represents a major shift in infectious disease management. Speaking during the presentation of the report Antimicrobial Strategies in the Medicine of the Future, developed by the Roche Institute Foundation, Coque stressed that technological advances are allowing clinicians to better understand both pathogens and the individual responses of patients.
From Molecular Insight to Clinical Decision-Making
The integration of omics technologies, data science, artificial intelligence and advanced diagnostic tools has significantly improved the characterisation of microbial virulence and resistance mechanisms. These innovations provide a deeper understanding of how pathogens interact with the human host, a challenge that remains central to infectious disease research.
The report, produced by the Observatory of Trends in the Medicine of the Future, outlines how precision personalised medicine is driving progress across multiple areas, including risk prediction, targeted prevention, precision public health, advanced diagnostics, personalised antimicrobial therapies and innovative strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Innovative Research Models and Emerging Technologies
Research in Spain is increasingly supported by cutting-edge platforms such as bioengineering and bioprinting technologies, including organoids and “organ-on-a-chip” systems. These models closely replicate human tissues, enabling scientists to study infections and assess treatment efficacy under conditions that more accurately reflect the patient’s biology.
In parallel, new clinical trial designs, such as adaptive trials, are being explored to accelerate the evaluation of therapies for infectious diseases. Efforts are also focused on the development of novel antimicrobials capable of addressing the growing threat posed by multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Collaborative Projects Against Antimicrobial Resistance
Spain has launched collaborative research initiatives that combine clinical and genomic data with experimental models to develop more precise and effective antimicrobial solutions. One example is the MePRAM Project (2023–2025), the country’s first national precision medicine initiative specifically targeting antimicrobial resistance.
The project applies omics technologies alongside artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to personalise prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies for patients affected by resistant microorganisms. The overarching goal is to reduce the emergence and spread of resistance while ensuring sustainable therapeutic options.
Precision Diagnostics: Speeding Up Treatment Choices
Rapid identification of the infectious cause is a critical determinant of treatment success. Traditional diagnostic methods can take several days, whereas precision medicine introduces rapid syndromic testing panels capable of detecting multiple pathogens in a single assay. These tools can distinguish between infections with similar clinical presentations, such as influenza, COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses, enabling faster and more informed clinical decisions.
Metagenomic techniques further expand diagnostic capabilities by analysing all genetic material present in a sample, allowing for the detection of bacteria, viruses or fungi, including those that are difficult to culture or previously unknown. Additionally, CRISPR-based diagnostic systems are emerging as rapid, low-cost tools capable of identifying infections in under an hour, without the need for complex laboratory infrastructure.
Beyond Antibiotics: New Therapeutic Strategies
The misuse and overuse of antibiotics have been widely recognised as major drivers of antimicrobial resistance, now considered a global public health threat. In this context, precision personalised medicine is opening new avenues beyond conventional antibiotics.
Alternative strategies under investigation include phage therapy, which uses bacteriophages to target resistant infections, microbiota-based therapies such as faecal microbiota transplantation, immunotherapy, gene editing, novel vaccines and combined treatment approaches. Among these, phage–antibiotic synergy strategies are gaining attention, as antibiotics may enhance phage replication, increasing antimicrobial effectiveness while reducing required doses and limiting the emergence of new resistance.
Gene-editing technologies based on CRISPR-Cas systems also show promise by selectively targeting genes associated with bacterial resistance or virulence. These tools allow precise modification of microbial DNA or RNA, potentially restoring antibiotic sensitivity and enabling targeted modulation of the microbiome.
A New Paradigm for Infectious Disease Care
Experts in Spain emphasise that precision personalised medicine represents a paradigm shift in infectious disease care. By aligning prevention, diagnosis and treatment with the biological characteristics of each patient and pathogen, this approach offers a more effective and sustainable response to one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare: antimicrobial resistance.