Professor Adam Roberts

Research interests

My research interests centre on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), molecular microbiology, microbiomes, and metagenomics, with a focus on generating knowledge that can improve health outcomes and societal resilience, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

I am interested in the molecular mechanisms that drive antimicrobial resistance, including the genetic basis of resistance, horizontal gene transfer, and microbial evolution under various selective pressures. By applying molecular microbiology techniques alongside high-throughput sequencing, I aim to understand how resistance emerges and spreads across different microbial populations and ecological niches.

A key aspect of my work involves the study of microbiomes and their role in shaping health and disease. I am particularly interested in how antibiotic use, environmental exposures, and host factors influence microbiome composition and function, and how these changes contribute to the persistence and dissemination of resistance genes. Through metagenomic approaches, I seek to characterise microbial communities and resistomes in diverse and underrepresented settings across the One Health sectors.

My research is motivated by the global challenge of AMR, which disproportionately affects LMICs due to limited diagnostic capacity, surveillance systems, and antimicrobial stewardship. I am interested in strengthening AMR surveillance and informing public health interventions in these contexts.

Ultimately, I aim to contribute to interdisciplinary research that integrates molecular insights with population-level data to support the development of sustainable strategies for mitigating AMR and improving global health.

 

Biography

A Professor of Microbiology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and a leading researcher in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). I have over two decades of experience investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence and spread of AMR in bacteria.

My research focuses on the genetics and evolution of AMR, particularly the role of mobile genetic elements in transferring resistance between microbial populations. My work integrates molecular microbiology, evolutionary biology, and a One Health perspective to understand how resistance develops across human, animal, and environmental systems.

At LSTM, I lead, and contribute to research on translational approaches to combat AMR, including early-stage antimicrobial drug discovery and development and the STRESST, DECODE and INTERCEPT projects. My team investigates novel natural products, mechanisms of action, and the potential for resistance to new compounds, contributing to efforts to replenish the antibiotic pipeline.

My work has resulted in over 100 peer-reviewed publications and contributes to global strategies addressing AMR.

Teaching

I align my teaching with research activities currently underway within my group. We host multiple BSc, MSc and PhD students who all gain experience working within a dynamic research environment and contributing to translational knowledge aimed at combatting AMR.

Selected research publications

Dynamic interactions between Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mattheei and Schistosoma mansoni underscore the complex polyparasitism of intestinal schistosomiasis in southern Malawi – Journal: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences – Published: 8th January 2026

Comparative genomics of blood and faecal E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from neonates with bloodstream infections in Tanzania – Journal: Communications Biology – Published: 18th November 2025

In vitro and in situ analysis of novel copper-based antimicrobial surface coatings designed to reduce the microbial bioburden of high-touch surfaces in a hospital environment – Journal: Journal of Hospital Infection – Published: 13th November 2025

Extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria are associated with high mortality in children with bloodstream infections in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – Journal: BMC Infectious Diseases – Published: 27th October 2025

Environmental hazards from pollution of antibiotics and resistance-driving chemicals in an urban river network from Malawi – Journal: npj antimicrobials and resistance – Published: 9th October 2025

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