Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance: Highlights from Recent Engagement Activities

Over the past three months, the Beyond Antibiotics research team has participated in a range of engagement and outreach activities focused on strengthening partnerships, encouraging collaboration, and fostering meaningful dialogue around antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Central to these activities were the topics of improving the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs), exploring the use of shockwaves and ultrasound to disrupt bacterial biofilms and enhance drug delivery to the brain, and highlighting the role of the microbiome in preventing infections. By bringing together researchers, healthcare professionals, partners, policymakers, and members of the public, these events have created valuable opportunities to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and identify priorities for future research.

Through presentations, panel discussions, conferences, and public engagement initiatives, participants were able to learn more about current research, ask questions, and contribute their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities associated with tackling antimicrobial resistance.

A selection of recent activities is highlighted below:

• Parliamentary Reception on Urinary Tract Infections
  On 13 July 2026, Professor Eleanor Stride OBE FREng HonFIET PhD BEng, Professor Jennifer Rohn and Mr Bob Yang FRCS (Urol), MRCS, MBBS, BSc (Hons), AICSM, presented their research and participated in discussions at a Parliamentary Reception hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Urinary Tract Infections. Stakeholders from across the UTI community came together to share updates, discuss challenges, and explore opportunities for future collaborations.

• New Book Chapter on Ultrasound Drug Delivery
  Professor Stride has authored a book chapter entitled Introduction to Ultrasound Drug Uncaging for the forthcoming Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation Handbook, to be published by Oxford University Press.

• Success at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting
  Prof Bob Yang, Consultant Urologist and doctoral researcher, presented three abstracts at the American Urological Association 2026 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, USA. One of his presentations received the award for Best Poster Presentation.

• New Edition of Leading UTI Textbook
  Prof Yang accepted an invitation from Springer Nature to serve as lead editor for the second edition of a leading textbook on urinary tract infections in clinical practice.

• Showcasing Innovative Approaches to Treating Biofilm-Related Infections
  Postdoctoral researcher Dr Veerle Brans presented at the INEOS Oxford Institute Early Career Conference 2026 about the use of ultrasound and shockwaves to combat implant-related orthopaedic infections. Her presentation, entitled Combatting Biofilm Infections on Medical Implants Requires Creative Engineering, is available on YouTube.

A particular highlight for the team has been the enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated across the outreach and engagement events. Participants contributed thoughtful questions, shared their experiences, and provided valuable insights that will help shape future research and collaboration opportunities.

The knowledge and perspectives gathered through these activities will continue to inform the Beyond Antibiotics research programme and support the development of innovative approaches to addressing antimicrobial resistance.

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to and participated in these events. Your engagement, ideas, and commitment continue to inspire the work of the Beyond Antibiotics Programme Grant, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead.

This research is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the Programme Grant Scheme (EP/V026623/1).