GW4 AMR Alliance workshop: Catalysing collaboration and innovation to help combat Antimicrobial Resistance
Early and mid-career researchers from across the GW4 universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter gathered at Bristol’s Watershed on 6 November 2024 for a Networking and Bid-Development Workshop designed to spark and foster new interdisciplinary research collaborations for tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The one-day workshop enabled researchers to connect and re-connect (as some attending were alumni of our 2020 Crucible on Interdisciplinary Approaches to AMR), share research insights and explore new avenues for collaborative research.
Lightning talks and cross-disciplinary challenges
The workshop started with a plenary session led by Dr Joanna Jenkinson MBE, GW4 Alliance Director, who reflected on the current AMR funding landscape, highlighting opportunities for early- and mid-career researchers. Dr Sarah-Louise Dietz, GW4 Building Communities Manager, introduced the 2025 call for the GW4 Generator Fund and the ongoing open Development Awards, designed to support cross-institutional research initiatives. This session was followed by rapid research talks, where researchers introduced a broad spectrum of AMR-related research topics, from environmental pollutants that are selected for AMR to managing urinary tract infections and antibiotic stewardship in primary care. Each talk provided a snapshot of diverse AMR research areas, helping the participants identify potential collaborators and explore new perspectives for future partnerships.
The focus then shifted to addressing specific AMR challenges through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Eight investigators pitched a research challenge, inviting others to join them in round table discussions. These challenges spanned issues such as exploring bacterial-fungal interactions within biofilms, the role of AMR in conflict and national security and the need to understand enzyme structure and function to aid antibiotic discovery.
Groups explored the challenges in round table discussions and shared their initial conversations and final outcomes with everyone. The high level of engagement led some groups to merge, resulting in three main collaborative focus areas which have the potential to develop into new cross-institutional AMR research communities.
Attendees valued the information sharing and networking opportunities provided, with feedback comments including: “It was great to meet like-minded researchers from different areas and have some exciting conversations and put foundations in place for potential collaborations.”
Others said: “Having time and space away from the office to really engage with the AMR work was really useful. It was great to meet researchers at a similar career stage and aligned research interests from other disciplines and universities that I’ve not met before.”
“The information about the funding available and the career discussion was very beneficial. It was really useful to discuss ways to develop our careers and hear about grants and others’ experiences of applications.”
GW4 Alliance Director, Dr Joanna Jenkinson MBE, said: “It was fantastic to see so many early and mid-career researchers from across the GW4 Alliance come together to share ideas and research challenges to address this complex global issue. AMR is one of the greatest emerging threats to our global health and environment - it impacts on human, animal and plant health and also our water safety and food security. Our GW4 institutions are already home to world-leading research facilities and complementary expertise in the field of AMR. This workshop exemplified that together we are greater than the sum of our parts, and by combining our multidisciplinary expertise, we can address these complex global challenges.”
Looking ahead: Career development and mentorship
The day concluded with a “Careers Discussion and Next Steps” session chaired by Dr Joanna Jenkinson. This encouraged a lively Q&A session on navigating career pathways, cross-institutional mentorship opportunities, and the challenge of securing research funding. Participants expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration and welcomed the continued opportunity to engage through the GW4 AMR Alliance and with the GW4 Alliance’s funding schemes.
The workshop underscored the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing AMR challenges. The GW4 AMR Alliance is a ‘One Health’ research consortium bringing together the four GW4 universities along with external partners to tackle the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. The GW4 AMR Alliance encourages researchers to drive impactful, research-based solutions to AMR by uniting expertise across various disciplines and fostering interdisciplinary connections with the aim of increased understanding of AMR and developing and implementing effective interventions for containing and controlling AMR.
For more information on the GW4 AMR Alliance and its ongoing initiatives, visit the GW4 AMR Alliance webpage.
