Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance: Identifying Future Research Themes

The Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance conference was held at RUSI on 6 February 2013, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), to identify research topics that will help to enable and implement existing UK government policy on antimicrobial resistance, which in turn will shape and inform future policy.

Morning presentation panels and afternoon discussion forums explained the main challenges, framed the problems and sought to suggest solutions, drawing up a list of research areas and topics the STFC might choose to fund.

The results of this conference will be distributed not only through RUSI and the STFC, but also to the other UK funding councils, key UK Government stakeholders, UK universities and research and development organisations including DSTL, the National Institute for Health Research and the Home Office Scientific Development Branch, so that they too may chose to add some of the topics discussed here to their future funding calls.

Contents

Foreword
Bryan Edwards

Introduction: Addressing the Threat from Antimicrobial Resistance
Jennifer Cole

I. The UK’s Five-Year AMR Strategy and Action Plan
Sally Davies

II. Combating Antimicrobial Drug Resistance: The International Perspective
Charles R Penn

III. National and International Spread of AMR: Clones and Genes
Alan Johnson

IV. Smart Use of Antibiotics: Building Confidence in New Approaches
Hayley Wickens

V. Lessons Identified and Opportunities in Developing and Implementing NICE Clinical Guideline 149: Antibiotics for Early-onset Neonatal Infection
Jim Gray

VI. Optimising Treatments to Tackle Anti-microbial Challenges: Nanomedicines and Molecular Targeted Medicines
Andreas Schätzlein

VII. The Rise of Carbapenem-resistant Organisms
Mike Sharland

VIII. The Sentinel Soldier
Andy Green

IX. Social Technologies for Community Responses to Epidemics
Chris Watkins and Jennifer Cole

Discussion Groups

Changing Behaviour in Antibiotic Prescribing
Communicating the AMR Message
Improving Diagnostic Techniques
Data Collection and Sharing
Barriers to Implementing AMR Strategy

Research Themes Identified