Scientists in the United Kingdom are set to use artificial intelligence to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, a global health concern in which bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens evolve to resist existing treatments.
The three-year initiative, launching early next year, brings together about 50 researchers and is backed by £45 million (€51 million) from pharmaceutical company GSK. The project is a collaboration with the Fleming Initiative, a UK group that connects scientists, policymakers, and healthcare industry stakeholders to address pressing medical challenges.
Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, has become increasingly dangerous. Overuse of antibiotics in healthcare and agriculture accelerates the process, making common infections harder to treat. Global data suggests that one in six lab-confirmed bacterial infections are now resistant to antibiotics, and AMR could claim 39 million lives by 2050 if effective interventions are not found.
“Drug-resistant infections are increasingly difficult to treat and pose a growing risk to patients,” said Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which helps manage the Fleming Initiative. “Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest challenges we face in the NHS and across the world.”
Researchers will focus on several priority pathogens identified by the World Health Organization, including Aspergillus, Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
In one part of the programme, scientists will develop an AI model to design and test new antibiotics specifically targeting multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative infections. GSK has said that the resulting data and AI models will be shared with researchers worldwide to accelerate the creation of next-generation treatments.
Another team will use AI to study the immune system’s response to S. aureus, aiming to develop a vaccine capable of preventing these infections. The researchers hope that artificial intelligence will allow them to model complex biological processes more quickly and efficiently than traditional methods.
“We urgently need new solutions and interventions for tackling drug-resistant infections, which will only be achieved if we pool our expertise,” Orchard said.
The initiative reflects growing interest in harnessing AI to support drug discovery and vaccine development, particularly in areas where pathogens have developed resistance to conventional therapies. By combining advanced computing techniques with biological research, scientists hope to stay ahead of evolving threats and protect global public health.
