Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to the role of antibiotics in modern medicine, but currently, we don’t fully understand the intricacies of AMR. There is an urgent need for research on this topic to support advances in our understanding of AMR and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a grant to a team of scientists at the University of Florida and the University of Minnesota to help this cause.
Christina Boucher, Ph.D., an associate professor at the UF Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE), will be collaborating with Noelle Noyes, DVM, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, on the $3.7 million grant to conduct groundbreaking research on AMR. Their primary objective is to develop innovative techniques for enhancing the detection of AMR genes within bacterial populations, crucial for addressing the challenges posed by these genes in treating infections effectively.
Traditionally, research in this field has been divided between clinical applications targeting individual pathogens and ecological studies focusing on the broader mechanisms of AMR evolution. However, Boucher and Noyes research combines advancements in microbiology and bioinformatics to bridge the gap in conventional AMR research. By leveraging their combined expertise, they aim to enhance the relevance and accessibility of metagenomic data, benefiting both ecological research and practical clinical applications.
“This innovative approach seeks to revolutionize the identification and interpretation of AMR indicators in minimal DNA samples, a task that current technologies struggle with”, Boucher said. “Unlike the conventional method of piecing together short DNA fragments, which can lead to errors, this technique reads the DNA in its entirety from the original sample, eliminating the need for patching together fragmented sequences.”
This advancement significantly boosts accuracy, especially in detecting rare resistance genes that are challenging to identify using traditional approaches. Through their collaborative efforts, Boucher and Noyes strive to empower healthcare providers to make better-informed decisions on antibiotic use and improve medical response to AMR.
“Our research has the potential to change how we detect and understand antimicrobial resistance, by providing a vital tool in monitoring resistant bacteria’s spread and hopefully prolong the effectiveness of antibiotics for treating infections,” Boucher said.
By Drew Brown
Marketing and Communications Specialist