I teach undergraduates about antibiotics and I conduct research on antibiotics (carbapenems). A couple of years ago I was also treated with multiple antibiotics after emergency abdominal surgery. Indeed, ironically, I was treated with some of the antibiotic classes that we currently study in our research work, or that I discuss in lectures to students! So, through real-life experience, I am convinced of the practical impact of research on antibiotics and drug resistance.

The need for new antibiotics is undeniable; the incidence of drug resistance in bacterial pathogens is increasing and the rate of discovery of new, clinically effective antimicrobials remains disappointingly low. There are several barriers to progress, including some economic and regulatory, that need to be overcome before any new antibiotics can get from the academic or industrial research lab to the patient. There is an urgent need to invest in solving such issues.