Developing CRISPR-Cas antimicrobials to tackle antibiotic resistance spread in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Project Code

MRCIIAR26Ex van Houte

Project Type

Wet lab

Research Theme

Infection, Immunity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Repair

Project Summary Download

Summary

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to human health, which is for a large part driven by plasmids (mobile pieces of DNA) that facilitate AMR gene spread between bacteria. In this project you will develop new tools based on CRISPR-Cas to stop the spread of AMR-carrying plasmids in the important pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. Proof-of-concept work shows that this is theoretically possible, but challenges remain in discerning drivers of plasmid competition. This interdisciplinary project integrates microbiology, genomics, and synthetic biology to tackle one of the most urgent challenges in infectious disease, providing training in leading-edge approaches with real-world impact.

Lead Supervisor

Professor Stineke van Houte

Lead Supervisor Email

C.Van-Houte@exeter.ac.uk

University Affiliation

Exeter