CHAIR: Collaborative hub for advancing interdisciplinary research

Start date

04 November 2015

End date

30 September 2017

Overview

The Collaborative Hub for Advancing Interdisciplinary Research (CHAIR) was an EPSRC funded interdisciplinary research hub focusing on the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR describes the phenomena when bacteria through various mechanisms can become resistant to currently used antibiotics.

Through a series of monthly seminars we engaged with researchers across disciplines to talk about new innovative ways of tackling the issue.

Aims and objectives

The aim of CHAIR was to create and support networks of researchers who together would develop a strong collaborative community.

The focus was on developing novel strategies to detect and mitigate the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic pathogens. This would lead to exciting funding opportunities for engineering and physical scientists.

Team

Project lead

Professor Robert Dorey

Professor of Nanomaterials

See profile

r.dorey@surrey.ac.uk

Members

Angela Day

CHAIR Administrator

Dr Konstanze Hild

Teaching Fellow in Advanced Technology Institute

k.hild@surrey.ac.uk

Professor Roberto La Ragione

Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology

r.laragione@surrey.ac.uk

Professor Johnjoe McFadden

Professor of Molecular Genetics

j.mcfadden@surrey.ac.uk

Dr Maxim Shkunov

Senior Lecturer

m.shkunov@surrey.ac.uk

Outputs

The drugs don't work

Professor Dame Sally Davies, England's Chief Medical Officer sounds the alarm on antibiotics in this must see TEDx talk.

Events

Date	Talk
Wednesday 29 March	Biofilms, DNA and microbial pathogens: a market place for exchange of antimicrobial resistance? Also reports from two CHAIR projects: 'Antifouling Coatings to Prevent Biofilm Formation', 'SPIDERS: Surface Printing to Investigate Drug Effects on Real Surfaces'.
Thursday 11 May	Modelling and Big Data: Reports from two CHAIR projects. 'AMR Data, Animal- Human- Environment ESBL transfers', and 'Modelling mycobacterial persistence'.
Thursday 8 June	Sensing and Pharmacokinetics: 'Towards selective detection of AMR bacteria with a disposable electrical sensor' and 'Understanding the Pharmacokinetics of antibiotic implants for veterinary applications'.
Tuesday 18 July	New and emerging threats of AMR from a global perspective: Dr Sid Thakur, North Carolina State University.
Wednesday 13 September	CHAIR Celebration Event: 'The economics of antimicrobial resistance and solving the threat', Lord O'Neill.

Sandpit events

We held two sandpit events in which we gave out internal funding for collaborative projects. We had five successful projects from our first sandpit on 12 April 2016.

Our second sandpit took place on 28 September 2016. Two of the projects funded from the first sandpit received follow on funding and three new projects were funded.

Seminars

Date	Speaker and talk
Friday 22 January	Ehealth: from sensing, the IoT to big data - digital innovation in animal health.
Tuesday 23 February	Big data and modelling in healthcare.
Friday 11 March	Antibiotic resistance in bacteria: the problem with TB.
Tuesday 12 April	Sandpit: Collaborative research funding event.
Monday 6 June	Tackling antimicrobial resistance: human and animal behaviour.
Monday 11 July	Dr Sid Thakur (NCSU): A systems-based 'One Health' approach to understand the complex dynamics of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges.
Monday 18 July	Prof Kirill Alexandrov (Molecular Warehouse): Repurposing glucose monitoring technology for detecting DNA of infectious organisms.
Thursday 1 December	Victoria Wells of Antibiotic Action: The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Tuesday 13 December	Prof Elizabeth Wellington (University of Warwick) Survival of pathogenic bacteria in the environment.

Date	Talk
Wednesday 4 November	CHAIR launch event
Friday 13 November	Rapid diagnostics
Thursday 10 December	Ian Gilmore (NPL): 3D metabolic imaging – the challenge going from tissue scale to single bacteria.

Projects

Antifouling coatings to prevent biofilm formation
Surface printing to investigate drug effects on real surfaces
Towards selective detection of AMR bacteria with a disposable electrical sensor
Towards low cost very rapid diagnostics
AMR data in time and space, animal-human-environment ESBL transfers
Understanding the pharmacokinetics of antibiotic implants for veterinary applications
Modelling mycobacterial persistence.

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