Novel small molecule and TCM approaches to support pig production, minimizing generation of resistance to human antibiotics

The emergence of resistance to antibiotics is a major health concern. To address this concern, this project will

address multiple aspects of antibacterial resistance, bringing together complementary expertise in the UK and

China. Antibiotics are widely used in agriculture, where they have a valid role in protecting farm animals from

disease and increasing food production. However, the use of antibiotics that are also used to treat humans

could lead to increased antimicrobial resistance. One of the aims of this project is to develop a new class of

antibiotics that are specific to a species of bacteria that cause infections in pigs, which would enable reduced

use of human antibiotics in farming. A second aspect of the proposal is to investigate the use of traditional

Chinese medicines (TCMs) in veterinary settings. TCMs are typically complex mixtures with unknown

mechanism of action. We will use sophisticated computational modelling methods, specifically a technique

called chemgenomics, to identify the active components of TCMs, which may enable further classes of

antibiotic to be rationally designed, or to be used synergistically with existing compounds.