Infectious diseases continue to shift and evolve, reshaping the health needs of communities around the world. At BMC Infectious Diseases, we’ve seen a growing urgency for research that not only deepens scientific understanding but also directly supports global health efforts, including the shared ambition of SDG 3: Good Health and Well‑Being.
As part of the upcoming SDG 3 newsletter on Infectious Diseases, we want to spotlight four of our newest Collections. Each Collection focuses on a critical area where evidence is needed, innovation is emerging, and global collaboration has the potential to move the needle on public health.
Personalized Medicine in Infectious Diseases
The promise of personalized medicine is no longer abstract in infectious disease research, it’s here, and it’s moving quickly. Where treatments once relied on broad, standardized approaches, precision diagnostics and genomics are opening the door to more tailored, effective interventions.
Guest edited by Dr Emma Sweeney and Dr Zhenwei Yu, this Collection on Personalized Medicine in Infectious Diseases brings together research exploring biomarker‑driven diagnostics, individualized antimicrobial strategies, and model‑informed dosing, all essential tools in addressing treatment resistance and improving patient outcomes.
Research in this space directly supports SDG 3 by strengthening our ability to deliver safer, more precise care.
Innovations in HIV Testing, Surveillance, and Treatment
Despite remarkable scientific progress, HIV remains one of the world’s most persistent health challenges. Guest edited by Dr Tiffany Phillips and Dr Bin Su, the Innovations in HIV Testing, Surveillance, and Treatment Collection focuses on what’s new and what’s next: rapid and point‑of‑care diagnostics, improved surveillance methods, long‑acting therapeutics, and strategies that make “test and treat” more accessible and effective.
As countries work toward the SDG 3.3 target of ending communicable disease epidemics, the research shared in our Collection supports more responsive, equitable, and accessible HIV care for communities everywhere.
Malaria in the 21st Century: Diagnostics, Resistance, and Control Strategies
Malaria control is at a pivotal moment. Advances in molecular diagnostics and vaccine development offer new promise, while resistance continues to pose familiar obstacles.
Guest edited by Dr Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Dr Loick P. Kojom Foko, Professor Ayodhia Pitaloka Pasaribu, and Dr Duoquan Wang, the Malaria in the 21st Century: Diagnostics, Resistance, and Control Strategies Collection invites research that deepens our understanding of evolving parasite biology, strengthens detection and surveillance, and supports robust control strategies.
These insights are essential for informing more resilient public health strategies and supporting the SDG 3.3 efforts towards malaria control and elimination.
Tropical Vector‑Borne Infectious Diseases
Vector‑borne infections, such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, continue to expand in geographical reach and intensity. With climate change and urbanization reshaping transmission patterns, understanding these diseases has never been more important.
Guest edited by Dr Maíra Aguiar, Dr Shengzhang Dong, Dr Marta Giovanetti, and Dr Wasin Matsee, this Collection on Tropical Vector‑Borne Infectious Diseases presents research on surveillance approaches, ecological drivers, diagnostic improvements, and integrated vector management strategies.
Strengthening evidence in this area supports communities most affected by vector‑borne outbreaks and aligns closely with SDG 3’s focus on epidemic preparedness.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, these four Collections illustrate the amount of work needed to understand and respond to infectious diseases in a rapidly changing world. Each opens space for interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative thinking, and research that can generate real‑world impact.
We look forward to seeing how the research community continues to push the field forward and to sharing the work that emerges through these Collections.
Do you want to join the conversation and submit your research? Explore these topics and more on the BMC Infectious Diseases Collections and Calls for Papers page.
This blog was written as part of April’s upcoming SDG 3 Newsletter on Infectious Diseases. To read the full newsletter as soon as it lands, follow Alice Coe and Virginia Mercer on Research Communities.