For any further information you can contact us on – CREMARA@bond.edu.au
CREMARA – The Centre for Research Excellence in Minimising Antibiotic Resistance from Acute Respiratory Infections
Background
This CRE was funded in 2012 by an NHMRC grant APP1044904 for 5 years with $2.5. Its purpose is to provide research into the potentially reversible factors that give rise to antibiotic resistance from antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections.
Investigators
Chief Investigators:
| CIA | Prof Chris Del Mar | Bond University |
| CIB | Prof Paul Glasziou | Bond University |
| CIC | Prof John Lowe | University of the Sunshine Coast |
| CID | Prof Mieke van Driel | University of Queensland |
| CIE | Assoc Prof Tammy Hoffmann | Bond University |
| CIF | Assoc Prof David Looke | Princess Alexandra Hospital |
| CIG | Assoc Prof Elaine Beller | Bond University |
Associate Investigators and additional personnel:
| Prof Chris Butler | University College of Wales, Cardiff, UK |
| Assoc Prof Danielle Stowasser | National Prescribing Service, Sydney |
| Assoc Prof David Mant | Oxford University, UK |
| Dr Jane Cook | Therapeutic Goods Admininstration |
| Assoc Prof Jane Smith | General Practice, Bond University |
| Dr John Powers | NIH, Washington |
| Dr Petra Derrington | Consultant Medical Microbiologist |
| Assoc Prof Treasure McGuire | Associate Investigator |
| PSP 4 Research Fellow in Meta-analyses – TBA | Professional Research Person |
| PSP 4 Research Fellow in Theory-Guided Synthesis – TBA | Professional Research Person |
| PSP 5 Senior Research Fellow in Antibiotic Prescribing and Packaging – TBA | Professional Research Person |
| PSP 5 Senior Research Fellow in Patient and Clinician Education – TBA | Professional Research Person |
| PSP 1 Research Assistant TBA | Technical Support Staff |
| PhD scholarship in Antibiotic Harms – TBA | Technical Support Staff |
| PhD scholarship in Antibiotic Prescribing and Packaging – TBA | Technical Support Staff |
| PhD scholarship in Patient Education – TBA | Technical Support Staff |
| PhD scholarship in Theory-Guided Synthesis – TBA | Technical Support Staff |
| Sarah Thorning | Technical Support Staff |
Media Summary
Antibiotic resistance is a threat to international health. Most antibiotics are prescribed for acute respiratory infections. The Centre for Research Excellence in Minimising Antibiotic Resistance for Acute Respiratory Infections focuses on the major contributors to resistance: antibiotic overuse and person-to-person transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. Research will inform the design, evaluation and translation of urgently needed interventions, aimed at clinicians, patients and policy-makers.
Synopsis
Antibiotic resistance is an international threat to health causing avoidable deaths and harm, and a substantial health resource waste. The Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) in Minimising Antibiotic Resistance for Acute Respiratory Infections focuses on minimising antibiotic resistance by addressing its two major contributors: antibiotic overuse, particularly in acute respiratory infections when antibiotics are most commonly prescribed; and the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between people.
The CRE will support the design, evaluation and translation of urgently needed interventions; contribute to national and international policy; and build workforce capacity to handle current and emerging threats to national and international health as a result of antibiotic resistance. Knowledge generation methods will include: meta-analyses, randomised trials, meta-regression, modelling, population surveys and qualitative research. Research will occur in five main areas:
- Benefits and harms of antibiotics: updated reviews of benefits and new systematic reviews of harms will be done to correct the insufficient focus on harms which has distorted clinicians’ and patients’ benefits-harms judgement.
- Physical barriers: key elements of effective physical barrier interventions will be analysed in a meta-regression.
- Pharmaceutical packaging of antibiotics: we will research current packaging effects and community behaviours contributing to antibiotic resistance.
- Construction and validation of a causal model to determine relative contributions of each source of resistance and potential effect of each intervention. This will be informed by research in Areas 1-3 and epidemiological data.
- Development and evaluation of interventions to minimise antibiotic resistance: numerous innovative interventions, informed by research in Areas 1-4, and aimed at clinicians, patients, policy-makers and other key stakeholders, will be developed and evaluated.
