1. Myron Christodoulides
Molecular Microbiology,
Faculty of Medicine
University of Southampton

2. Overview of Expertise
Current research projects in developing vaccines, antimicrobials and rapid diagnostics; pathogenesis studies ex vivo pathogenic Neisseria (meningococci and gonococci*) - bacteria causing human infections and animal infections, e.g. Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., HIB, NTHI, Moraxella, Brachyspira spp., Dichelobacter spp., ESKAPE - parasite infection, particularly Leishmania* - microbial keratitis (rapid pathogen identification) - ‘wound healing’ - drug discovery (‘natural products’)*

3. Major AMR project
Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection: causes the STD gonorrhoea
N. gonorrhoeae infects all mucous membranes of the reproductive tract as well as the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes, and rectum.
~78 million cases worldwide annually.
Most prevalent in LMIC.
No vaccines
Gonococci have NOW developed resistance to all drugs previously and currently recommended for treating gonorrhoea WHO priority HIGH
Vision for Children in Africa: A network to address blindness from neonatal eye infections.

4. What inclusion of your University/ wider research organisation brings.

5. Global-NAMRIP https://www.southampton.ac.uk/namrip/about/index.page
Preventing Infection
Our interdisciplinary research spans medicine, engineering and biological science faculties
Sensing and diagnostics
Diagnosis and correct antibiotic treatment can help prevent serious antibiotic resistance
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
We need to consider how to achieve impact in the wider world
Behaviour in the wider world
Behaviour, landscape and environment influence the relationship between animal and human health
Clean water, sewage and waste
New technologies to produce clean water and treat waste, preventing the spread of infection

6. Contribution to a consortium
Access to collaborative multi-disciplinary AMR networks in-house and internationally
Vaccine design and development from in silico antigen discovery, production and testing in animal models, structural biology, subunit vaccines, etc.
Access to expertise in ‘big data’ bioinformatics
Testing of antimicrobials in vitro, using bactericidal assays and cell culture infections and explant tissues e.g. human cornea buttons, etc.
Capacity to work with a wide range of animal and human pathogens (Cat II and Cat III)
‘Natural product’ drug discovery collaboration