LSTM’s Dr Adam Roberts has been awarded funding to establish a network of European and African researchers looking to address the problems of antimicrobial resistance, coinciding with World Antibiotic Awareness Week.
The award of €50,000 is among eight given by the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR) as part of the 2018 call for transnational networks “Building the Foundation of the JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute.” The networks will identify research community needs and develop clusters of expertise on an international level.
Dr Roberts said: “The Network of European and African Researchers on Antimicrobial Resistance; known as NEAR-AMR, represents a group of experts within multiple disciplines associated with antimicrobial resistance. Expertise includes clinical, pharmacy, veterinary, environmental microbiology, epidemiology, molecular biology and evolution, encompassing a One Health approach to AMR, from leading institutions located throughout Europe and Africa.
“The funds will be used to facilitate face to face Network meetings and extensive online discussion. Our comprehensive geographical spread (24 partners from 16 countries) allows different, country specific insights into our two areas of focus.
“Firstly, we will determine which common capacity and capability training needs exist for young investigators hoping to establish themselves within any area of AMR research from Europe and Africa. NEAR-AMR is also well placed to inform on the preferred profile, and realistic limitations, of global surveillance data sharing platforms, informing expectations on what is possible within a range of existing healthcare infrastructures from multiple geographical settings.
“Our outputs will inform on the strategic direction of the JPIAMR virtual research institute (VRI) as it develops. The overall aim is to ensure international efforts are focused in areas of maximal benefit and results are translatable on continental scales”.
The call was launched in May 2018 and supported by ten research-funding organisations from JPIAMR member countries. Fifteen applications were received, involving 15 coordinators and 323 partners. In total eight transnational networks were granted funding for projects lasting one year.
JPIAMR, is a unique international collaborative platform that coordinates national funding and supports collaborative action for filling knowledge gaps on antimicrobial resistance with a One Health perspective. By mobilising existing and new resources, the JPIAMR creates a greater critical mass and attracts new researchers into the AMR field.
The NEAR-AMR members are:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Netherlands
Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute, Spain
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust / The University of Malawi the College of Medicine, Malawi
Complutense University, Spain
University of St Andrews ,United Kingdom
Infectious Diseases Institute, Uganda
University of Bergen, Norway
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Republic of Tanzania
Utrecht University,Netherlands
Makerere University, Uganda
Royal Liverpool Hospital and the African Sepsis Alliance, United Kingdom
Partners In Health, Liberia
University of Porto, Portugal
National laboratory for health, environment and food, Slovenia
University for Development Studies, Ghana
Aga Khan University, Kenya
NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, United Kingdom
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy
Arctic University of Norway, Norway
World Health Organisation, Egypt
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
University of Liverpool, United Kingdom