Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has evolved in environmental bacteria over billions of years, producing a vast reservoir of AMR genes that can potentially be transferred to clinical pathogens. Agricultural soils are exposed to antibiotics through the use of manures or sewage sludge as fertiliser, or irrigation with reclaimed water. There is a concern that such exposure may promote AMR in food producing environments, increasing the likelihood of AMR transmission to the human microbiome via contaminated crops or environmental matrices. There is a growing body of research using in vitro models to establish the minimal selective concentrations (MSCs) of antibiotics in the environment, but there is very little evidence relating to selection by antibiotic residues jn situ in soils. The field scale trials undertaken at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) over the last 10-20 years offers a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of antibiotic application on soil communities and AMR, and how soils recover from long-term application of antibiotics. In this project, state of the art metagenomic and bioinformatic approaches will be applied to determine the evolutionary effects of antibiotic residues on the soil resistome. This will be investigated at three timepoints: short-term exposure (7 & 30 days after application); long-term exposure (after 10 years of annual exposure); and after cessation of antibiotic application (1, 2, and 3 years post-exposure). Macrolide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics will be studied, which have very different environmental fates and which have both been flagged as priority substances of concern by the EU Water Framework Directive's Hazardous Compound Watch List. Furthermore, we will assess whether or not in vitro experiments are predictive of selection in soils in situ. This work will provide the most comprehensive assessment of AMR evolution in antibiotic amended soils to date.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

To secure a continued supply of safe, tasty, affordable and functional/healthy proteins while supporting Net Zero goals and future-proofing UK food security, a phased-transition towards low-emission alternative proteins (APs) with a reduced reliance on animal agriculture is imperative. However, population-level access to and acceptance of APs is hindered by a highly complex marketplace challenged by taste, cost, health and safety concerns for consumers, and the fear of diminished livelihoods by farmers. Furthermore, complex regulatory pathways and limited access to affordable and accessible scale-up infrastructure impose challenges for industry and SMEs in particular. Synergistic bridging of the UK's trailblazing science and innovation strengths in AP with manufacturing power is key to realising the UK's ambitious growth potential in AP of £6.8B annually and could create 25,000 jobs across multiple sectors. The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), a cohesive pan-UK centre, will revolutionise the UK's agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created AP strategy across the Discovery?Innovation?Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy using a consumer-driven approach, thereby changing the economics for farmers and other stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Built on four interdisciplinary knowledge pillars, PRODUCE, PROCESS, PERFORM and PEOPLE covering the entire value chain of AP, we will enable an efficacious and safe translation of new transformative technologies unlocking the benefits of APs. Partnering with global industry, regulators, investors, academic partners and policymakers, and engaging in an open dialogue with UK citizens, NAPIC will produce a clear roadmap for the development of a National Protein Strategy for the UK. NAPIC will enable us to PRODUCE tasty, nutritious, safe, and affordable AP foods and feedstocks necessary to safeguard present and future generations, while reducing concerns about ultra-processed foods and assisting a just-transition for producers. Our PROCESS Pillar will catalyse bioprocessing at scale, mainstreaming cultivated meat and precision fermentation, and diversify AP sources across the terrestrial and aquatic kingdoms of life, delivering economies of scale. Delivering a just-transition to an AP-rich future, we will ensure AP PERFORM, both pre-consumption, and post-consumption, safeguarding public health. Finally, NAPIC is all about PEOPLE, guiding a consumers' dietary transition, and identifying new business opportunities for farmers, future-proofing the UK's protein supply against reliance on imports. Working with UK industry, the third sector and academia, NAPIC will create a National Knowledge base for AP addressing the unmet scientific, commercial, technical and regulatory needs of the sector, develop new tools and standards for product quality and safety and simplify knowledge transfer by catalysing collaboration. NAPIC will ease access to existing innovation facilities and hubs, accelerating industrial adoption underpinned by informed regulatory pathways. We will develop the future leaders of this rapidly evolving sector with bespoke technical, entrepreneurial, regulatory and policy training, and promote knowledge exchange through our unrivalled international network of partners across multiple continents including Protein Industries Canada and the UK-Irish Co-Centre, SUREFOOD. NAPIC will provide a robust and sustainable platform of open innovation and responsible data exchange that mitigates risks associated with this emerging sector and addresses concerns of consumers and producers. Our vision is to make "alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet" and our ambition is to deliver a world-leading innovation and knowledge centre to put the UK at the forefront of the fights for population health equity and against climate change.

Canada