[Abstract]

Precision medicine is an emerging approach that matches patients with the most appropriate treatment based on the precise molecular features of an individual patient’s disease. Despite huge advances in translational research, diagnosis and treatment continue to pose profound challenges in addressing significant health problems, including cancer and infectious diseases. In this talk, I will discuss three research projects that demonstrate molecular engineering efforts toward precision medicine. Two focus on new developments in diagnosis: (i) bioanalytical sensing of plasma markers predictive of impending sepsis based on a magneto-electrochemical approach, and (ii) molecular profiling of breast cancer assisted by deep-learning algorithms for global health and pointof-care diagnostics. The third utilizes a programmable multi-drug release strategy for orthopedic implants, enabling both bacterial eradication at the bone-hardware interface and accelerated bone tissue regeneration. These studies highlight the potential of integrating materials science, chemical engineering, and clinical science approaches to develop advanced molecular diagnostics and innovative therapies toward personalized medicine.