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    Op-Ed                                                                    JUNE 12, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 13

              One of the hardest things about AMR is that it does not announce itself clearly. A resistant
             infection can look, at first, like any other infection. The difference often becomes visible only
                       after laboratory testing, and that process takes time (File photo)

                PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT          from more than 80 sources, including
                AI’s  role  in  the  AMR  response   stakeholder  interviews  in  Nepal  and
            does  not  stop  at  diagnosis.  Dr.  Sty-  India, to understand how the United
            czynski also describes how AI is being   States  can  support  existing  national
            used to monitor infection trends, pro-  goals. She sees India as especially im-
            cess  whole  genome  sequencing  data,  portant because it brings both scientif-
            and  even  accelerate  the  search  for   ic capability and real-world relevance
            new antibiotics.                  to the problem. “I think India is well
               “There have been several com-  poised to contribute on the technology
            panies  using  AI-based  platforms  for   side as well as on the microbiological
            the development of novel antibiotics,”  side, because some of the pathogens
            she says. “Some of them can screen   we’re most concerned about tend to
            millions of compounds in a matter of   come from this region.”
            hours to identify potential therapies.”   That  combination  gives  U.S.-In-
                Another  promising  development   dia  cooperation  a  particular  advan-
            involves tailoring treatment decisions   tage. American leadership in AI tools,
            more closely to the individual patient.  data  analytics,  and  moving  innova-
            “Some researchers have been able to   tion from concept to implementation
            use large language models to develop   can  work  alongside  Indian  expertise,
            personalized  antibiograms  that  can   data  systems,  and  innovation  capaci-
            stratify the likely risk of different types   ty. “Collaborations between the Unit-
            of resistant infections, so that antibiot-  ed States and India can inform these
            ics can be prescribed more accurately   tools in a way that creates the most
            while a patient is waiting for a defini-  usable and impactful outcomes,” she
            tive diagnosis.”                  says. “There is a lot of microbial nu-
                Even  so,  much  of  the  work  re-  ances in the Indian context that could
            mains  in  its  early  stages.  “We  know   be leveraged to adapt and tune these
            that there is often a lag between the   models to create more useful outputs.”
            development of a technology and its   She  also  highlights  India’s  in-
            availability in the rural village where   creasing contribution to global AMR
            it’s really needed,” she says.    data,  including  through  partnerships
                That realism is part of what makes   with  CDC.  “India  is  providing  data
            her message resonate. U.S. leadership   through  platforms  like  its  AMR  sur-
            is not only about inventing powerful   veillance systems, which the CDC is a
            tools. It is also about building trusted   technical partner in supporting. This
            partnerships, supporting systems, and   helps ensure that we are getting robust
            helping  move  promising  technology   data to drive solutions.”
            toward wider public benefit.          For India, the promise of trusted,
                That  includes  public-private  ef-  high-standard U.S. AI frameworks lies
            forts such as CARB-X, which is an ex-  in their ability to strengthen domestic
            ample of how the United States has sup-  capacity while staying grounded in lo-
            ported the early development of new   cal needs. For the United States, this
            diagnostics and therapeutics, including   work  reflects  something  equally  im-
            through  novel  AI  applications,  with   portant:  making  America  healthier
            partners in India also receiving support.  by confronting shared health threats
                                              early,  investing  in  innovation,  and
                     INDIA’S ROLE             building  partnerships  strong  enough
                Dr.  Styczynski’s  current  fellow-  to keep pace with a changing micro-
            ship focuses on gathering information   bial world.

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