Antimicrobial Resistance

Bacterial infections are a challenge to human and animal health, generally treated with antimicrobial therapies. However, the increase in antimicrobial resistance poses one of the major risks to health care worldwide. At IRAS, we collaborate in One Health research consortia aiming to increase the understanding of the risk factors and spread of mobile genetic elements that carry antimicrobial resistance genes by collecting and analyzing relevant samples of humans, the environment and animals.

Research Projects

  • MISTAR

    MISTAR (Microbiota Intervention Strategies Limiting Selection and Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance burden in the One Health domain) is a European collaborative project that will primarily focus on practical intervention strategies targeting specifically the microbiota, while applying advanced Omics technologies. By these interventions we will try to limit AMR transmission within the One Health domain by specifically targeting human and animal AMR hotspots (households with dogs, hospitals, and farms). Within this consortium, IRAS will specifically focus on dust-bound AMR transmission reduction strategies at farms and companion animal environments. Furthermore IRAS will work closely together with UMCU to characterize and model the effects of specific microbiota modulation strategies.

    Duration: 2022-2025
    Project members: Alex Bossers, Lidwien Smit
    Funding: JPI-AMR

  • DISSEMINATE

    The Drivers of Selection and Spread of Mobile Genetic Elements Involved in Antimicrobial Resistance (DISSEMINATE) study aims to increase understanding of the spread of mobile genetic elements that carry antimicrobial resistance genes in complex ecosystems, the influence of the use of animal feed additives, and between humans and animals.

    Duration: 2020-2024
    Project members: Annelies Kers, Lapo Mughini Gras and Alex Bossers
    Funding: Top Sector Life Sciences & Health

  • MRSA-PREVENT

    In this project, an interdisciplinary group works together with an industrial partner to identify bacterial species that compete with Livestock-associated MRSA for production of a microflora that can be administered to pigs for modulation of the nasal microbiome. The outcome of this project will be a novel intervention procedure based on protecting the piglets for colonization with LA-MRSA by competitive-exclusion.

    Duration: 2018-2022
    Project member: Lidwien Smit
    Funding: ZonMW

  • EFFORT

    EFFORT is an EU-funded One Health project in nine European countries that studies anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in the food chain. This project investigates the impact of antimicrobial usage in food-producing animals on AMR determinants in animals, humans, and the environment.

    Duration: 2014 -
    Project members: Lidwien Smit, Alex Bossers
    Funding: EU