UK and China team up on superbug research
The UK and China are to establish a joint fund of £9 million to support research on antimicrobial resistance
The Medical Research Council (MRC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are joining forces with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) to establish the fund.
The UK contribution will be channelled through the Newton Fund, an initiative intended to strengthen research and innovation partnerships between the UK and emerging knowledge economies.
The Chinese government will be providing £4.5 million to match UK funding and to support internationally competitive and innovative collaborative projects between researchers from China and the UK.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is caused by antibiotic overuse and misuse leading to a growing number of bacteria in humans, animals and the environment that are resistant to them.
The Fund will help countries that are rapidly improving their own scientific capability and will help to unlock further opportunities for science and innovation collaboration.
A workshop led by the funding agencies is planned for 24-26 November 2015 in Shanghai, China, to further understanding of the antibacterial resistance research landscape within the two countries and to explore four core themes that will provide the backdrop of the fund.
Life sciences minister George Freeman said: “Antimicrobial Resistance is a major threat to millions of lives around the world.
“This £9 million joint investment will help leading scientists in the UK and China share expertise and innovations to develop new treatments that could help eradicate this threat to global public health.”
Lu Rongkai, deputy director general of the bureau of international cooperation, NSFC, said: “The increasing threat posed by Antimicrobial Resistance is an international issue that requires much deeper understanding, which will only be achieved through an interdisciplinary approach.
“It is essential that China and the UK work together to tackle this complex, global challenge.”