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INNOVATION

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   WHERE WE
      MINIMISE


THE
SPREAD OF
      INFECTION

WHERE WE
    MINIMISE


THE
SPREAD OF
       INFECTION

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is reducing the effectiveness of life-saving antibiotics.
Support us to find better ways to diagnose and treat infection, before it’s too late.

10M

Tens of millions of deaths occur annually due to infectious diseases, highlighting their ongoing contribution to global mortality.

2050

Antimicrobial resistance is predicted to cause as many deaths as cancer by 2050.

20%

Antibiotic-resistant infections in England have increased by around 20 per cent in recent years, driving a rise in preventable deaths.

Are we heading towards a medical emergency?

Antibiotics and vaccines have saved billions of lives since their invention. Without them, our lifespans would be dramatically reduced, and we would see loved ones dying of preventable and treatable diseases. However, we are now facing a major, potentially catastrophic, new problem – antimicrobial resistance.

Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, are becoming increasingly hard to treat with conventional medicines, such as antibiotics. As they become more and more exposed to medicines, they are more likely to become resistant towards them. This means it’s harder to treat common infections like UTIs, and to perform life-saving procedures including cancer chemotherapy, caesarean section, hip replacements and other surgeries.

We need to make the diagnosis and treatment of disease more precise. It is vital that the right drugs are administered promptly and at the right dosages, so that diseases do not survive and build up resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is reducing the effectiveness of life-saving antibiotics.
Support us to find better ways to diagnose and treat infection, before it’s too late.

10 million

Tens of millions of deaths occur annually due to infectious diseases, highlighting their ongoing contribution to global mortality.

2050

Antimicrobial resistance is predicted to cause as many deaths as cancer by 2050.

20%

Antibiotic-resistant infections in England have increased by around 20 per cent in recent years, driving a rise in preventable deaths.

Are we heading towards a medical emergency?

Antibiotics and vaccines have saved billions of lives since their invention. Without them, our lifespans would be dramatically reduced, and we would see loved ones dying of preventable and treatable diseases. However, we are now facing a major, potentially catastrophic, new problem – antimicrobial resistance.

Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, are becoming increasingly hard to treat with conventional medicines, such as antibiotics. As they become more and more exposed to medicines, they are more likely to become resistant towards them. This means it’s harder to treat common infections like UTIs, and to perform life-saving procedures including cancer chemotherapy, caesarean section, hip replacements and other surgeries.

We need to make the diagnosis and treatment of disease more precise. It is vital that the right drugs are administered promptly and at the right dosages, so that diseases do not survive and build up resistance.

RESPONDING TO THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE AT SOUTHAMPTON

RESPONDING TO THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE AT SOUTHAMPTON

At the University of Southampton, we are working hard to improve the way we respond to infection. Our strategy focuses on faster and more accurate ways of diagnosing disease, novel ways of vaccinating and revolutionary treatments for infection. 

We are also proud to lead the National Biofilms Innovation Centre. Biofilms are communities of organisms that form a super strong infection and are very difficult to treat. They are particularly common after surgeries where a prosthetic or implant is fitted, such as hip replacements, and can go on to cause diseases like sepsis. Our research is finding new ways to infiltrate and destroy these infections. 

During COVID-19 we conducted vaccine trials, pioneered saliva testing for asymptomatic cases, and enabled rapid point-of-care testing to reduce diagnosis time. 

Our engineers have created a new device, iFAST, to determine which antibiotic is needed to treat an infection within hours, instead of days. This will treat patients faster and also reduce the impact of antimicrobial resistance.

Professors Hywel Morgan and Paul Elkington using a microscope in a laboratory

THE IMI WILL ADVANCE INFECTION RESEARCH

With your help, the IMI will give us the environment, tools and ways of working we need to tackle the big issues facing the world today. Your generous donation will help us bring together the best facilities, including hybrid bioengineering labs, the largest biomedical imaging suite on the south coast, and an impressive digital infrastructure, in order to bring about breakthroughs faster than ever before. 

The IMI will help us:

Harness the power of data to fight infectious diseases – medics will work alongside data analysts and informaticians to turn data into powerful insights into the nature of infections, and how they can be treated.

Prevent infections by novel ways of vaccinating – we will advance our work in therapy and immunology, using friendly bacteria to train the immune system to prevent infections.

Produce accurate and rapid diagnostic techniques – we will find better and faster tests: imagine a world where a saliva test could identify everything a doctor needs to know about a patient’s infection and what to prescribe to fight it off.

THE IMI WILL ADVANCE INFECTION RESEARCH

With your help, the IMI will give us the environment, tools and ways of working we need to tackle the big issues facing the world today. Your generous donation will help us bring together the best facilities, including hybrid bioengineering labs, the largest biomedical imaging suite on the south coast, and an impressive digital infrastructure, in order to bring about breakthroughs faster than ever before. 

The IMI will help us:

Harness the power of data to fight infectious diseases – medics will work alongside data analysts and informaticians to turn data into powerful insights into the nature of infections, and how they can be treated.

Prevent infections by novel ways of vaccinating – we will advance our work in therapy and immunology, using friendly bacteria to train the immune system to prevent infections.

Produce accurate and rapid diagnostic techniques – we will find better and faster tests: imagine a world where a saliva test could identify everything a doctor needs to know about a patient’s infection and what to prescribe to fight it off.

Becca’s Story

Watch the powerful story of Becca, a University of Southampton student. During her first term in 2018, Becca contracted meningitis and sepsis, leading to multiple amputations, including both legs and her right hand. Her resilience and advocacy for vaccination and organ donation offer a personal lens into the real-world impact of infectious diseases.

Related case studies

Leading the fight against infection

Some of the great minds leading infection research at the IMI. Learn more about some of the brilliant people who will work together in the IMI to help fight against infection.

MEET THE TEAM

Leading the fight against infection

Some of the great minds leading infection research at the IMI. Learn more about some of the brilliant people who will work together in the IMI to help fight against infection.

MEET THE TEAM

Professor Robert Read
Chair of Infectious Diseases

Robert is a researcher and clinician in infectious diseases. He is the author of hundreds of publications on the subject.

Read full bio

Professor Saul Faust
Professor of Paediatric Immunology and Infection

Saul is a clinical researcher who develops local and national clinical trials for paediatric and adult vaccines and antimicrobials.

Read full bio

Dr Adam Dale
Associate Professor in Infectious Diseases

Adam is an Associate Professor in Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology working in the Southampton Controlled Human Infection Group (CHIG)

Read full bio
Image of Professor Robert Read

I’m very proud of the work Southampton is doing to prevent, diagnose and treat serious and difficult infectious diseases, using our world-class clinical, biological and engineering expertise.

Professor Robert Read
Professor of Infectious Disease, Infectious Disease Lead for the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)

“

“I’m very proud of the work Southampton is doing to prevent, diagnose and treat serious and difficult infectious diseases, using our world-class clinical, biological and engineering expertise.”

Professor Robert Read

Professor of Infectious Disease, Infectious Disease Lead for the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)

SUPPORT the future of medicine

By supporting the new Institute for Medical Innovation, you can help stop the spread of infection. You can help us get the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Your donation will accelerate research and bring tomorrow’s breakthroughs, today. 

We need to raise £50m to build this incredible facility. Join us and be at the heart of medical innovation.