Abstract
The global increase in antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-associated infections has intensified interest in bacteriophage therapy as a viable alternative or adjunct to conventional antibiotics. Although phage therapy demonstrates significant therapeutic potential, its broad clinical adoption is hindered by obstacles such as rapid phage identification, precise host matching, cocktail optimization, therapeutic outcome prediction, and standardization of treatment protocols. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative approach capable of overcoming these challenges by integrating large-scale genomic, microbiological, and clinical datasets to inform evidence-based therapeutic decisions. This narrative review evaluates the expanding applications of AI in phage-based infection management, including phage discovery, prediction of phage–host interactions, personalized phage selection, optimization of phage cocktails, prediction of phage–antibiotic synergy, and monitoring of treatment outcomes. Additionally, the review discusses AI-assisted engineering of therapeutic phages through receptor-binding protein redesign, CRISPR-enabled genome engineering, and generative modeling for the development of next-generation phages with improved efficacy and safety. Current evidence suggests that AI can accelerate the advancement of precision phage therapy by enhancing treatment selection, broadening antibacterial coverage, improving manufacturing consistency, and supporting individualized management of multidrug-resistant infections. However, challenges such as limited availability of high-quality datasets, issues with model interpretability, the need for external validation, ethical considerations, and regulatory harmonization must be addressed before AI-driven phage therapy can be widely implemented in clinical practice. Ongoing integration of computational innovation with experimental and clinical validation is anticipated to facilitate the transition of bacteriophage therapy into a reliable, precision-based antimicrobial strategy for addressing resistant bacterial infections.
Biography
Jose Jurel M. Nuevo, DrPH, PhD, MSMT, MA Chem, RMT is the Founding Dean of the College of Medical Laboratory Science at Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU), Philippines. He serves as President of the Philippine Association of Schools of Medical Technology and Public Health (PASMETH) and Secretary General of the ASEAN Association of Schools of Medical Technology (AASMT), contributing significantly to the advancement of medical laboratory science education in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Dr. Nuevo holds degrees in Medical Technology, Chemistry, Educational Management, and Public Health, graduating Meritissimus (Summa Cum Laude) in his Doctor of Public Health program. He has authored numerous publications in Scopus-indexed, including Q1, journals such as Frontiers in Microbiology, Antibiotics, Biology, and Virulence. He also serves as a Technical Reviewer for the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and as a peer reviewer for several international scientific journals.
He currently serves as Chair of the CHED Technical Panel for Medical Technology and Public Health Education, Member of the CHED Regional Quality Assurance Team (RQAT), and Member of the PRC Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Council. His contributions have been recognized through several prestigious national and international awards for excellence in research, education, and professional leadership.
