PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Nanobiotechnology
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1625356
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvancing Multidisciplinary Approaches for Combating Multidrug-Resistant InfectionsView all 3 articles
Biofilms and Multidrug Resistance: An Emerging Crisis and the Need for Multidisciplinary Interventions
Provisionally accepted
Mohd Fakharul Zaman Raja Yahya1*
Mohd Taufiq Mat Jalil1Norashirene Mohamad Jamil1Nurul Hidayah Mohamad Nor2Nasser Alhajj1Rikson Siburian1Nazia Abdul Majid2- 1MARA University of Technology, Shah Alam, Malaysia
- 2University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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The escalating prevalence of multidrug resistance (MDR) represents not merely a medical challenge, but a systemic shortcoming in our current antimicrobial paradigms. Central to this crisis are biofilms, the structured microbial communities that not only exhibit intrinsic resistance to antibiotics but also facilitate the persistence of dormant cells and the horizontal transfer of resistance genes. While emerging natural and synthetic antimicrobial agents offer potential avenues for intervention, their effectiveness is often limited by issues such as poor bioavailability, toxicity, and production scalability. To overcome these limitations, the field must shift from incremental refinements to transformative strategies. Promising approaches include electrochemical biofilm disruption, phage-antibiotic synergistic therapies, nanoparticle-mediated delivery systems, CRISPR-based genome editing, natural quorum sensing inhibitors, and the application of next-generation probiotics. However, scientific innovation alone is insufficient. A comprehensive response must also encompass policy reform: implementing strict regulations on antibiotic usage in agriculture, incentivizing the development and adoption of rapid diagnostic tools, and adapting clinical trial designs to support the evaluation of combinatorial and multimodal therapies. Addressing biofilm-associated MDR requires a radical, multidisciplinary approach to effectively counter this growing global threat.
Keywords: Biofilms, multidrug resistance, antibiotics, Extracellular Matrix, Multimodal approach
Received: 08 May 2025; Accepted: 17 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yahya, Jalil, Jamil, Nor, Alhajj, Siburian and Majid. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Mohd Fakharul Zaman Raja Yahya, MARA University of Technology, Shah Alam, Malaysia
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