Tackling anti-microbial resistance

Through overuse, antibiotics are becoming ineffective – a process that could “…undo a century of medical progress”, according to the World Health Organisation. Discover the role the University is playing in the international fight to stop the rise of superbugs.

The challenge of antimicrobial resistance is so great it will only be solved by a range of tactics and approaches being applied to the problem

—Dr Rebecca King

Impact

• Policy impact: contributed to guidelines on antibiotic stewardship, helping policymakers design better frameworks to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use
• Influencing medical treatment: findings on Staphylococcus aureus resistance mechanisms provide critical insights for updating treatment protocols

Key information

• Major funders: Antimicrobial Resistance Cross-Council Initiative, European Commission, Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Partners and collaborators: ARK Foundation, Malaria Consortium UK, China Ministry of Health, Eureka! Museum, primary schools, Glasgow School of Art
• Disciplines: Design, medicine, healthcare
• Investigators: Dr Rebecca King, Dr Alex O’Neill, Dr Catherine Stones, Dr Jamie Stark, Professor Francisco Goycoolea, Professor Christoph Wälti, Professor John Walley

Keywords: disease, microbes, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, graphic design, bacteria, hygiene, primary education, public health, infections, AMR