Stirling expert will co-lead new network set up to tackle antimicrobial resistance

A University of Stirling academic is among the leaders of a new network which is setting out to understand how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) impacts UK food production from farm to fork.

The AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary (AMAST) Network has been created to harness perspectives from across agrifood stakeholders and prepare new ways to tackle these challenges.

Dr Andrew Desbois, a microbiologist at the Institute of Aquaculture in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, is a co-lead of the network, which will receive £650,000 UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding as part of its work to tackle infections.

Dr Desbois said: “I am excited to be in the AMAST leadership team and I look forward to leading engagement with industry partners, who will play a vital role in the new network.”

Taking action

Antimicrobial resistance, where microbes become resistant to the drugs we use to control them, presents a major threat to society and our ability to prevent or cure disease.

National and international governments and health agencies are taking action and UKRI is now supporting eight new transdisciplinary networks to tackle AMR.

The AMAST Network has been established to understand the challenge of AMR in the UK’s agrifood system.

Dr Desbois said: “AMR is a threat to food production because it can reduce productivity and impact animal health. I bring my expertise of AMR in global aquaculture to the collaboration because seafood is a critical component of the UK’s food system.

“AMR is a problem requiring research and innovations that transcend traditional disciplinary and sector boundaries, with initiatives like AMAST providing an important platform to develop effective whole of society solutions that benefit everyone.”

Non-traditional approach

The network will be co-ordinated by Dr Matthew Gilmour, based at the Quadram Institute, with an international expert advisory panel providing oversight.

Dr Gilmour said: “We’re really excited to be part of this new community. The agrifood system is incredibly complex with a diverse community of key players that are involved in the production of safe and nutritious foods. So, understanding the challenges of AMR requires a non-traditional approach.”

AMAST will, for the first time, bring together various agrifood communities with academic researchers from different disciplines, to identify from the bottom up the challenges AMR poses within agrifood, and then collaborate to develop solutions.

The AMAST Leadership Team is made up of the Quadram Institute, Newcastle University, Royal Veterinary College, University of Stirling, Royal Holloway University of London, Cranfield University, James Hutton Institute, Royal Agricultural University, Scotland’s Rural College, University of Bristol, University of Leicester and University of Southampton.

Partners on board the AMAST Network include ADAS, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, CAB International (CABI), The Environmental Research Institute (University of Highlands and Islands), the FAI Farms, Fera Science, the Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials (FIIA), Menter a Busnes, NHS Highlands, Ricardo,  UK Agri-Tech Centre and Vet Sustain.

Through interviews, workshops and themed community meetings, all members of the network will be able to bring their perspectives on the key threats of AMR in agrifood. The network will collectively identify and prioritise areas of opportunity, as well as understanding where more research is needed to plug gaps in our understanding.

Find out more and sign up to the Network by visiting the AMAST website.