AI, Genetic Testing May Advance Precision Care in Immunology, With Daniel DiGiacomo, MD

At the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting in Philadelphia, Daniel DiGiacomo, MD, a clinical immunologist at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, discussed how emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could complement genetic testing and help clinicians better understand complex immune disorders.1

In an interview with HCPLive, DiGiacomo explained that AI may help clinicians interpret the growing volume of genetic data now available in clinical practice, particularly for rare immune conditions known as Inborn Errors of Immunity. Although advances in sequencing have accelerated the discovery of single-gene defects linked to these disorders, identifying and interpreting the clinical significance of genetic variants remains challenging.

“Things have started to plateau a little bit, so leveraging AI or machine learning or new methods to further understand different, more complicated genetic inheritance patterns certainly is… [helpful],” DiGiacomo said.

AI tools can support genetic interpretation through computational analyses that model how specific genetic changes may alter downstream biological processes, including RNA expression or protein structure. In conditions where rare genetic variants are detected, these tools may help clinicians better determine whether a mutation is likely to contribute to disease.

Advances in genetics are also influencing treatment strategies across allergy and immunology. As researchers better characterize the molecular pathways underlying immune-mediated disease, new biologic therapies are being developed to target specific components of those pathways. DiGiacomo noted that conditions such as hereditary angioedema (HAE) illustrate how improved understanding of disease biology can translate into targeted therapies that affect pathways involved in bradykinin metabolism and contact system activation.2

These advances have led to the development of monoclonal antibodies, RNA-based therapeutics, and other targeted treatments designed to modulate specific immune pathways, DiGiacomo said. In some cases, emerging therapies are also expanding treatment options beyond injectable medications to oral alternatives or novel molecular strategies.

DiGiacomo suggested that continued progress in genetic testing and biomarker research could eventually shift allergy and immunology toward more predictive and preventative models of care. Identifying patients who are genetically predisposed to immune disorders or allergic diseases may allow clinicians to intervene earlier in the disease course.

New diagnostic approaches, including advanced immune profiling techniques such as detailed flow cytometry panels and cytokine analysis, are also helping clinicians identify the immune pathways driving disease in individual patients.

“Genetic testing has been easier to order. It's become more available, and it's been integrated specifically in the immunology realm,” DiGiacomo said. “Understanding the basic aspects of how to order it, why you're ordering it, how to counsel patients, how to interpret some of those findings, and how to leverage it to best treat the patient should definitely be integrated into teaching.”

References

1. DiGiacoma D. Practical and Hands-On Guidance Regarding Genetic Testing. Presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (AAAAI) on February 27 – March 2, 2026.

2. Invitae Hereditary Angioedema Panel - Clinical Genetic Test - GTR - NCBI. Nih.gov. Published 2021. Accessed March 11, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/tests/593409/