Professor Angela Brueggemann
University of Oxford

Antibiotics are one of the greatest public health achievements and Oxford has played a central role in this success. Antibiotics like penicillin have been in use for >70 years and have saved countless lives. However, bacteria resistant to the effects of antibiotics were discovered shortly after penicillin was licensed and since then, the global prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased significantly. Infections caused by resistant bacteria can be difficult to treat, thus antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human health. The science behind the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance, and potential solutions to the problem, will be discussed.