Phase one (£3 million)
Transdisciplinary networks to connect and expand the UK AMR communities with researchers from a broad range of disciplines (across all UKRI council remits). The networks will have the knowledge and skills to transform our understanding of AMR and deliver innovative and effective solutions by applying and developing a diverse range of methods. We expect networks to work effectively across all disciplines.
Networks must be open to new members throughout the lifetime of the networks. Members could include:
- academics from any discipline
- members of the business community
- policymakers, in the public, private and third sectors
- end users of research, such as farmers and clinicians
- representatives of civil society and people with lived experience
Resistance by all microbes are within the scope of this funding opportunity, including:
- bacteria
- fungi
- viruses
- protozoa
Resistance within and between all reservoirs of AMR are within the scope of this funding opportunity, including:
- humans
- animals (including companion animals and aquaculture)
- plants (including trees)
- natural environments
- human made environments
- the food chain
We have identified several priority areas for this funding opportunity, while applicants are encouraged to address these, this is not mandatory and alignment to these areas will not form part of the assessment process. We do not expect these areas to map exactly to network proposals. A single network may address several, one or none of these areas.
The priority areas are:
- AMR in crop production, including impacts on other reservoirs of resistance and on food security
- methods, technologies and common frameworks for data collection and analysis, including rapid pathogen sequencing and antimicrobial usage
- non-pharmaceutical and non-chemical pesticide countermeasures, including social, cultural and economic interventions and solutions
- impact of climate change on AMR
The networks should engage with existing relevant networks and will be required to work collectively in areas of common interest, such as:
- how to work effectively across disciplines
- ensuring just solutions
- data standards across reservoirs of resistance
- data collection methodologies
- methodology development such as systems approaches, human centred design, evaluation methods
- synthesis of existing evidence
- data analysis and presentation
- involving the public, practitioners and people with lived experience
Funding available
The total funding available for phase one is £3 million.
We expect to fund four to six interdisciplinary networks covering a range of subject areas.
Examples of activities that networks may apply for funds to support include:
- networking activities, including meetings, travel and subsistence
- communication and knowledge exchange activities
- network management, administration and technical support
- small short-term projects, including staff costs incurred
- training and exchanges
Process
- Potential applicants, either individually or as a group, submit an expression of interest to UKRI. Expressions of interest will not be assessed (see How to apply).
- Potential applicants and other interested parties register for one community meeting.
- Expressions of interest are circulated to all community meeting registrants.
- Facilitated coalescing and pitching of network ideas take place at community meetings.
- Funding opportunity for network proposals opens. Network proposals are not required to match the ideas developed at the community meetings.
