Raising social awareness and finding technological solutions for antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), in which bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, is an explosively growing problem worldwide. An international interdisciplinary consortium including the University of Amsterdam will study social awareness of AMR and the development of alternatives to traditional antibiotics. As part of the National Science Agenda, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) is providing a grant of 9.8 million euros to the DARTBAC project: Dutch Antimicrobial Resistance Technology development and Biofilm Assessment Consortium. The project is coordinated by Maastricht UMC+ and includes partners from social sciences, communication sciences, materials sciences, medical sciences as well as medical specialist organizations, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, communication experts, health funds and industrial partners. The industry partners contribute an additional 1.3 million euros to the budget. Lifethreatening infections. AMR increases the risk of life-threatening infections after surgery, resulting in poorer treatment outcomes and an increase in healthcare costs.