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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and more specifically antibacterial resistance, poses a global challenge to human and animal health as well as to the environment. Overuse and misuse of antibiotic has led to a growing number of bacteria in humans, animals and the environment that are resistant to life-saving antimicrobial therapies.

Research Councils UK (RCUK), the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils are working together to fund a wide range of research in AMR, in a cross-council initiative to develop collaborative approaches across research disciplines and to identify a number of research opportunities and challenges in tackling the rise in AMR. Details of the cross council initiative’s investments in AMR can be found here.

One such joint initiative in tackling AMR is the RCUK - India Strategic AMR Group, which was inaugurated by the UK and Indian Science Ministers in November 2016, as part of the UK-India Tech Summit in New Delhi. The Indian Department for Biotechnology (DBT) is the nodal agency bringing together key Indian funders to work together on UK-India joint priorities on AMR.

Building on this joint UK-India initiative, RCUK together DBT are pleased to pre-announce a joint initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance funded by the Newton Fund.

This programme will provide funding for highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research partnerships between the UK and Indian researchers. In order to develop these collaborations, the funders will hold a residential interactive workshop (also known as a ‘sandpit’) over 3.5 days in India in early November 2017. A call for Expressions of Interest for UK based participants in this event will be launched in late July 2017. DBT will manage Indian participation in the event through a separate process.

There will over £6 million available through the Research Councils to support the UK elements of partnerships. The intention is to fund projects of up to 3 year duration, commencing mid-2018. The UK contribution will be matched by DBT who will support the Indian component of partnerships.

If you wish to be added to a mailing list to be sent notification when the call for Expressions of Interest in attending the event is live on our website, please email amr@esrc.ac.uk with ‘Add me to mailing list for AMR UK-India call’ in the subject line.

All details are subject to change following further discussion between the funders.

Further information

Contact

UK:

• Naomi Beaumont or Sarah Lobo at ESRC
  Email: amr@esrc.ac.uk

India:

• Dr Shailja Gupta
  Email: shailja@dbt.nic.in

• Dr Sanjay Kalia at DBT
  Email: sanjay.kalia@nic.in