Antimicrobials underpin modern medicine – from cancer treatments to immunotherapies and surgery. However, these advances are now at risk due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Today AMR ranks among the gravest risks to human health and is often called the silent pandemic.

AMR refers to when microorganisms (such as bacteria) change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat. Due to the rise of AMR, microorganisms that once were treatable with front-line antimicrobials are becoming more difficult to treat, risking disease spread, prolonged severe illness and death. AMR cuts across many sectors, as resistant pathogens can be transmitted between animals, humans and food, but this interconnectedness is poorly understood and data remains in silos. 

Our new £5M Digital Health Hub for Antimicrobial Resistance, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), aims to increase knowledge and skills sharing among diverse groups, from researchers and healthcare workers to those working in animal health and environmental agencies, to policymakers, charities, industry and the public. We seek to transform AMR surveillance of and stewardship of antibiotics by harnessing digital technologies that played such a key role during the pandemic.

Thank you to UKRI EPSRC  ‘Securing better health ageing and well being’ and ‘Tackling infections’ and all our partners for funding (EP/X031276/1)