Archives: Program

Chronic respiratory infections in pigs are often difficult to treat because bacteria form protective biofilms that reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics. In collaboration with Lixa, this project is investigating novel antibiofilm compounds that break down these biofilms and restore bacterial susceptibility to existing antibiotics. The research aims to improve treatment outcomes, reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance, and support healthier, more productive livestock systems.

This project, in collaboration with Calix, is developing advanced delivery systems to improve the effectiveness of bioactive magnesium oxide (MgO) as a non-antibiotic antimicrobial. By creating formulations that release MgO at the desired location in the gastrointestinal tract, the research aims to enhance its antimicrobial activity, support a healthy gut microbiome, and provide new strategies for reducing reliance on conventional antibiotics in animal health.

Chronic wound and ear infections are often difficult to treat because bacteria form protective biofilms that reduce the effectiveness of conventional antimicrobials. In collaboration with Lixa, this project is developing novel sol-gel formulations that combine antibiofilm and resistance-breaking compounds with existing antibiotics to improve treatment outcomes. By enhancing drug delivery and targeting persistent biofilm-associated infections, the project aims to provide safer, longer-lasting therapies for veterinary applications while helping to slow the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Biofilms protect harmful bacteria from disinfectants and contribute to persistent contamination in water systems. This project, in collaboration with Lixa, is investigating novel compounds that can break down biofilms formed by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and Legionella. By improving the effectiveness of existing treatments and developing new formulations for use in contaminated water systems, the project aims to reduce the risk of waterborne infections and improve environmental biosecurity.

This project, in partnership with Calix, is investigating innovative magnesium oxide (MgO)-based disinfectants as a safer and more sustainable alternative to conventional poultry shed cleaning products. By evaluating their ability to eliminate harmful bacteria, biofilms and antimicrobial resistance genes, and testing their performance in commercial poultry environments, the project aims to improve animal health, strengthen farm biosecurity, and help reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance across the food production system.

This project, in collaboration with MGI Australia, is developing innovative genomic surveillance tools to improve the detection and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in environmental samples. By combining magnetic nanoparticle-based bacterial capture with next-generation sequencing technologies, the project aims to enable more sensitive identification of bacteria and AMR genes in wastewater and other environmental sources. The resulting workflows will strengthen environmental AMR surveillance, support early outbreak detection, and provide new insights into the spread of antimicrobial resistance across human, animal, and environmental settings.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major threat to global public health care systems. The World Health Organization has predicted 10 million AMR-related deaths annually by 2050 if no drastic measures are taken.

Antifungal resistance is emerging as a major threat, and we urgently need to develop new antifungals that are not susceptible to current resistance mechanisms. This project will build on a longstanding collaboration with Neoculi Pty Ltd to identify new antifungal leads and develop existing leads as antifungal drugs through established pathways for laboratory-based efficacy testing, characterisation of modes of action and testing of efficacy in relevant in vivo models.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections of animals and humans, continues to pose significant challenges to public health care systems and global economies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new, broad-spectrum antimicrobials with novel chemistry and mechanisms of action, preventing further cross-resistance to existing drug classes. This project will continue the development of Neoculi’s lead antibacterial candidate NCL195 and improved analogues with the goal of developing a novel, orally delivered medicine for dogs for the treatment of resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Streptococcus canis infections. As NCL195 has antifungal activity, there is also potential it could be used in the treatment of generalized Malassezia pachydermatis infection which will be the subject of a separate project proposal.

Parasites cause billions of dollars in lost livestock production globally each year and have a severe impact on human health. This project will build on 4 years of collaboration with Neoculi Pty Ltd to identify new anti-protozoal leads and develop existing leads as anti-parasitic drugs through established pathways for laboratory-based efficacy testing, characterisation of modes of action and testing of efficacy in relevant in vivo models.

Although antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been recognised as a major threat to human health worldwide, the related phenomenon occurring in various water environments has been largely overlooked so far. The urban (including industrial) water cycle, which connects urban life, agriculture and the environment, is potentially a hotspot for the spread of AMR. Therefore, a better understanding of the distribution, transportation, and acquisition of AMR in the urban water cycle is critically important to improve the control of this emerging environmental and human health challenge. This project will build on 4 years collaboration with MGI Australia to develop a sequencing-based method and framework for AMR surveillance in the environment.