The central aim of the Antimicrobial Innovations Centre (AMIC), is to address key challenges related to antimicrobial resistance.
Through focused interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge research, we are positioning antimicrobial resistance at the forefront of addressing global health and planetary challenges.
Understanding antimicrobial resistance
Antibiotics work by inhibiting or stopping the growth of microorganisms. The mechanisms through which they operate vary from antibiotic to antibiotic, but they typically target essential bacterial processes.
Targeting these essential processes imposes a strong negative selection pressure on bacteria, which drives the evolution of antibiotic resistance.
This means that the effectiveness of antibiotics decreases over time because of the spread of transmissible resistance, leading to the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens.
The current antibiotic resistance crisis is a major threat to planetary health that highlights that human health is inextricably linked to our natural environment and management of natural resources.
In the last three decades, there has been a sharp decline in the development and approval of new antibiotics. This is mainly because of the significant costs and time involved with bringing new antibiotics to market which disincentivises the pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to a shrinking pool of effective antibiotics, there is a need to recognise the wider socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors that shape how these antibiotics are used in human and animal health in order to inform effective interventions.
Our 5 research pillars
The Antimicrobial Innovations Centre (AMIC) is focused on driving understanding, and developing solutions to the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
The Centre operates through five interconnected pillars each focusing on a different area of research, from lab-based antimicrobial discovery to investigating the global, environmental, sociocultural and legal implications of antimicrobial resistance. Each of these pillars will be headed by a Brunel University London academic with expertise in that field.
1. Lab-based antimveicrobial discory and repurposing
High-throughput screening (HTS) of compound libraries is an efficient way to evaluate potential antimicrobial agents against target pathogens. This method involves the automated testing of diverse compounds in order to identify promising candidates, accelerating the identification of new lead compounds.
Pinpointing effective molecules is made possible through HTS, as well as Brunel University London’s robotics resources (OpenTrons),but the issue of lead compounds toxicity and efficacy still remains. Using higher-order eukaryotes in clinical trials can also prove to be challenging, because of ethical, cost and training issues.
Yet thanks to Brunel’s innovative research, a solution to this problem is found through alternatives, such as Galleria mellonella and embryonic Zebrafish. Brunel’s state-of-the-art zebrafish facility and in-house colony of genetically sequenced G. mellonella provide this solution and allows for more in-depth research.
2. Computational engineering and AI-guided antimicrobial discovery
This pillar will leverage AI and computational engineering technologies to accelerate the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds.
By integrating computational modelling and dynamics, machine learning algorithms, and advanced virtual screening techniques, the aim is to understand the molecular mechanisms governing the biological targets and identify potential antimicrobial agents with improved efficacy and reduced resistance development.
These technologies will streamline the drug discovery process, from initial screening to final testing. The integration of these cutting-edge methods underscores the Antimicrobial Innovations Centre’s commitment to pioneering research, which will drive Brunel University London’s goals of innovation and achieving impactful advancements in healthcare.
3. Antimicrobial delivery and formulation
Overcoming barriers such as biofilm penetration and bacterial resistance mechanism is a key problem in antimicrobial research. This is why effective delivery and formulation strategies are crucial for optimising the efficacy of antimicrobial agents.
The focus of this pillar’s research is developing innovative drug delivery systems, including nano-formulations, liposomes, and hydrogels, to enhance the stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds.
This will be done using new manufacturing methods to formulate new types of inks for additive manufacturing, aiming to closely mimic natural tissue while achieving targeted drug release.
The developed drug-loaded medical device will control the drug release mechanism to achieve personalised medicine and with the help of 3D printing, the device will have a flexible design, allowing for customisation and decentralisation.
4. Environmental antimicrobial resistance
Environmental factors play a significant role in the dissemination and persistence of antimicrobial resistance genes and resistant bacteria.
There remain distinct knowledge gaps which include a limited understanding of key events that lead to antimicrobial emergence and the role of selective agents in the evolution and transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes (particularly to clinically relevant pathogens).
The goal of this will be to investigate the impact of environmental pollution, agricultural practices, and wastewater treatment on the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Research efforts will focus on the use of environmental surveillance to inform clinical surveillance of resistance and defining thresholds to inform environmental risk assessment frameworks. Researchers will employ advanced genomic, metagenomic and analytical techniques to elucidate the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in environmental reservoirs and develop strategies for sustainable antimicrobial stewardship.
5. Societal and legal impacts of antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance affects public health, economics, and legal frameworks. This pillar will examine the political, economic, sociological, technological, and legal dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, including social determinants of infections and antimicrobial use, healthcare policies, and regulatory frameworks governing antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
Through collaboration with social scientists, economists, and legal experts, among others, the Centre will explore the socio-economic consequences of antimicrobial resistance, propose culturally- and context-sensitive policy and clinical interventions to mitigate its impact and engage with communities for the sustainable implementation of these interventions.
The pillar will profit from and input on recent priorities on sociocultural solutions for AMR as highlighted by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the Fleming Fund, the Lancet Commission on antimicrobial resistance, and multiple United Nations and World Health Organisation Assemblies.
Our research impact
The Antimicrobial Innovations Centre (AMIC) will apply its research across a range of areas with substantial impacts healthcare and environmental sectors, public health and socioeconomic policy frameworks.
Some of the specific applications and potential impacts include:
1. Healthcare applications
Our work on antimicrobial discovery and repurposing could lead to the development of new or more effective treatments for drug-resistant infections in hospitals and community settings.
Our expertise in AI-driven drug discovery and advanced drug delivery systems will accelerate the development of novel therapies that are both more targeted and less prone to resistance development.
These developments would be particularly relevant for patients with persistent infections in chronic diseases, and those with immunosuppression.
Finally, our research on drug delivery systems using nano-formulations and 3D-printed drug-loaded devices could enhance the efficacy of treatments, allowing for tailored therapies that reduce side effects and increase patient concordance.
2. Environmental health
Our fourth research pillar - Environmental antimicrobial resistance - focuses on how agricultural practices, pollution, and wastewater treatment contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The Centre’s findings would inform regulatory frameworks for reducing environmental contamination by antibiotics, impacting food production, water safety, hygiene and sanitation, and public health. Environmental surveillance research could also link to clinical data to predict and manage AMR outbreaks, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This would be valuable for global public health strategies aiming to reduce AMR.
3. Public health and policy
The Centre's research into the sociocultural and legal impacts of AMR (Pillar 5) can guide policymakers in creating regulations and guidelines for antibiotic use in both human and veterinary medicine.
Through collaboration with legal and public health experts, AMIC will contribute to the development of national and international legal and regulatory frameworks on antimicrobial stewardship, reducing misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human and animal health, and agriculture. These developments will contribute to public health campaigns aimed at rationalising antibiotic usage globally.
4. Industry and innovation with biotech and pharma
Through our industrial partnerships, we will translate our research into market-ready solutions, such as new antibiotics, diagnostics, or preventive products (e.g., antimicrobial surfaces). These new technologies will be critical for addressing market gaps caused by the decline in antibiotic development.
Overall, the Centre's potential impacts will focus on:
- A reduction of the burden of antimicrobial resistance achieved through interdisciplinary and translational research, leading to fewer drug-resistant infections, saving lives, and reducing health and social costs
- An advancement of global and planetary health, particularly in LMICs where environmental AMR is a significant challenge
- An influence on patients, citizens, professionals and decision-makers, influencing public awareness, helping to change how antibiotics are prescribed and used
- Innovating in drug development, guided by AI and computational tools, and overcoming a crucial bottleneck in resolving antimicrobial resistance