The Antibiotic Discovery Accelerator Network (ABX) summer 2019 meeting

The first ABX meeting at The Eden Project in Cornwall took place July 11–12 2019
Eden Project

The Antibiotic Discovery Accelerator Network (ABX) summer 2019 meeting

The first ABX meeting at The Eden Project in Cornwall took place July 11–12 2019

A list of talks that were presented at the first ABX meeting

  • Introduction to the ABX Meeting - Professor Mat Upton – University of Plymouth  
  • Antimicrobial Peptides - Professor Mat Upton – University of Plymouth
  • Good Drugs for Bad Bugs: Finding New Antibiotics for Tuberculosis - Dr Jonathan Cox – Aston University
  • DNA Topoisomerases as Targets for Antibacterial Chemotherapy - Professor Tony Maxwell – John Innes Centre, Norwich
  • Bioprospecting for Novel, Natural Product-Based Antibiotics from Deep-Sea Sponges - Dr Catherine Back – University of Bristol
  • Metagenomic Sample Selection: A Guided Approach to Natural Product Discovery?  PhD Student Sam Williams – University of Bristol
  • DNA Quadruplexes as Targets for Antimicrobial Gene Regulation - Dr Christopher O'Kane – Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge
  • Integrative Structural Biology of Tripartite Efflux-Pumps and the Cell Envelope in Gram-Negative Bacteria - Dr Vassiliy Bavro – University of Essex 
  • Understanding Mechanisms of Antibiotic Toxicity and Searching for New Antimicrobials - Dr Mark Shepherd – University of Kent 
  • Biologics Drug Discovery – Developing Alternative Therapeutics and Novel Diagnostics for Bacterial and Fungal Infections - Dr Soumya Palliyil – University of Aberdeen 
  • Green Pharmacy in Antibiotic Development – Prolonging Efficacy by Prioritising Compounds Least Likely to Select for Resistance - Dr Aimee Murray – University of Exeter
  • Pheromone Based Communication in Enterococci - PhD Student Amy Sterling – Ulster University 
  • Cell-Free Synthetic Biology for Natural Products - Dr Simon Moore – University of Kent 
  • Cross-Resistance and Collateral Sensitivity Between Clinical Antibiotics and Natural Antimicrobials, The Case of Cornish Seaweeds - Dr Michiel Vos – University of Exeter 

Watch the Antibiotic Discovery Accelerator Network (ABX) summer 2019 meeting video

Over 40 antibiotic discovery researchers attended to share their expertise, build connections, and discuss ideas for current and future research. The resulting connections established from these discussions show promise for fruitful and meaningful research, with the aim to accelerate the rate of antibiotic discovery by overcoming bottlenecks in the pipeline, and the eventual introduction of new antibiotics.

ABX summer 2019 meeting talks

Programme

Thursday 11 July

11:30–12:00 Arrival and registration

12:00–12:30 Overview of ABX and buffet lunch

12:30–12:40 Antimicrobial Peptides
Professor Mat Upton – University of Plymouth

12:40–12:50 Extreme Antimicrobial Discovery
Dr Garry Farnham – University of Plymouth

12:50–13:00 Good Drugs for Bad Bugs: Finding New Antibiotics for Tuberculosis
Dr Jonathan Cox – Aston University


13:00–13:10 DNA Topoisomerases as Targets for Antibacterial Chemotherapy
Professor Tony Maxwell – John Innes Centre, Norwich

13:10–13:20 Bioprospecting for Novel, Natural Product-Based Antibiotics from Deep-Sea Sponges
Dr Catherine Back – University of Bristol

13:20–13:30 Metagenomic Sample Selection: A Guided Approach to Natural Product Discovery?
PhD Student Sam Williams – University of Bristol

13:30–13:40 DNA Quadruplexes as Targets for Antimicrobial Gene Regulation
Dr Christopher O'Kane – Anglia Ruskin University

13:40–13:50 Integrative Structural Biology of Tripartite Efflux-Pumps and the Cell Envelope in Gram-Negative Bacteria
Dr Vassiliy Bavro – University of Essex

13:50–14:00 Simulation-Guided De Novo Design of Antimicrobial Peptides
Dr Martin Ulmschneider – King’s College London

14:00–14:20 Break

14:20–14:30 Understanding Mechanisms of Antibiotic Toxicity and Searching for New Antimicrobials
Dr Mark Shepherd – University of Kent

14:30–14:40 Biologics Drug Discovery - Developing Alternative Therapeutics and Novel Diagnostics for Bacterial and Fungal Infections
Dr Soumya Palliyil – University of Aberdeen

14:40–14:50 Green pharmacy in Antibiotic Development – Prolonging Efficacy by Prioritising Compounds Least Likely to Select for Resistance
Dr Aimee Murray – University of Exeter

14:50–15:00 Pheromone Based Communication in Enterococci
PhD Student Amy Sterling – Ulster University

15:00–15:10 Cell-Free Synthetic Biology for Natural Products
Dr Simon Moore – University of Kent

15:10–15:20 Cross-Resistance and Collateral Sensitivity Between Clinical Antibiotics and Natural Antimicrobials: The Case of Cornish Seaweeds
Michiel Vos – University of Exeter

15:20–15:30 Promoting the Antarctic as an Ecosystem for Antibiotic Discovery
Professor Melody Clark – British Antarctic Survey

15:30–15:40 Integrating Interdisciplinary Approaches to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance in Tuberculosis (TB)
Professor Sanjib Bhakta – University of London

15:40–16:00 Old Drugs Learn New Tricks: Drug Re-purposing as a Strategy to Uncover Effective Antibacterials
Dr Marta Martins – University of Dublin

16:00–16:10 Boolean Modelling of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Quorum Sensing and Virulence Networks
Dr Marie Lisandra Zepeda Mendoza – University of Birmingham

16:10–16:20 Summary of first day – focus for tomorrow

16:20–18:00 Breakout at Eden Project – closes at 18:00

18:00 Transport to hotel

19:30 Evening meal at Carlyon Bay Hotel

Friday 12 July

09:00–10:30 Smaller discussion in 3 or 4 groups. Example topic ideas: natural/ products/ synthetic/ chemical. Bottlenecks/ issues.

10:30–11:00 Break

11:00–13:00 Round table meeting – addressing bottlenecks. How to take ABX further. Potential soil sample provided by the Eden Project for all attendees to work on using their expertise. Consolidate expertise information for registry. Talk about second meeting.

13:00 Finish 10:30 Smaller discussion in 3 or 4 groups. Example topic ideas: natural/ products/ synthetic/ chemical. Bottlenecks/ issues.

10:30–11:00 Break

11:00–13:00 Round table meeting – addressing bottlenecks. How to take ABX further. Potential soil sample provided by the Eden Project for all attendees to work on using their expertise. Consolidate expertise information for registry. Talk about second meeting.

13:00 Finish