University of Oxford given £100m for antibiotic research

The University of Oxford has been given £100 million from chemical company Ineos to fund a research centre for antibiotics.

This marks one of the largest research donations in recorded history and will allow the university to set up a research institute to counter the threat of potential superbugs and resistance to contemporary antibiotics.

Researchers will aim to develop drugs for animals and humans and promote a healthier attitude to using antibiotics to treat illnesses and infections.

Read more: Brexit trade concerns arise over livestock antibiotic use, report finds

Antibiotic overuse can be dangerous as it can help potentially deadly bacteria in your body build up an immunity to antibiotics, meaning they will be less effective or cease working entirely.

In the US alone, 35,000 deaths a year are attributed to antibiotic-resistant pathogens and it is estimated that, across the globe, 10 million deaths a year could be caused by antibiotics no longer being effective against common diseases.

Oxford University has been active in antimicrobial research since 1938 when they followed up Alexander Fleming's findings after he discovered penicillin.

Oxford's vice-chancellor Professor Louise Richardson said: “Oxford played a crucial role in the early development of antibiotics so it is only appropriate that we take the lead in developing a solution to antimicrobial resistance.

"I think that the pandemic has shown us just the extraordinarily high costs if you ignore a problem that is potentially headed your way.

"We certainly knew that there was a high potential for another pandemic, we were reminded of that many times, and yet we were caught unprepared.

"We know that human antibiotics are, with every passing year, becoming fewer and fewer because of the growth of resistance so it's absolutely imperative that we act, and the impact of being unprepared for the pandemic I think reinforces the importance of acting before it's too late."

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of INEOS, added: “Innovative collaboration between industry, academia and government is now crucial to fight against AMR.

“INEOS in its 22 years has become the largest private company in the UK, delivering large-scale, ambitious technical projects with impactful results.

“We are excited to partner with one of the world’s leading research universities to accelerate progress in tackling this urgent global challenge.”

Collaborations between the private sector and The University of Oxford are not uncommon as the institute also helped co-developed one of the primary vaccines being used in the UK to fight coronavirus alongside pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca.

Read more: AstraZeneca and Oxford Covid vaccine approved for UK rollout

The UK has currently vaccinated nearly 4 million people against the disease and major developers are ramping up production of vaccines to meet the overwhelming global demand.

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