The Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research (IOI) was established at the University of Oxford in January 2021 to rapidly advance research, education and collaboration in search of solutions to one of the biggest public health challenges of our time.
Our mission is to lead the science behind developing new antibiotics and provide the evidence to support transformational change in the way we tackle antimicrobial resistance.
The IOI operates under three main pillars of activity:
- In the lab – we undertake the basic science to produce novel molecules and compounds that will act as alternatives to the current limited “medicine cabinet” of antibiotics.
- In the field – we survey, model and assess the global AMR burden to discover new ways to prevent and treat drug-resistant infections.
- With the public – we work with government, industry and practitioners worldwide to inform the public and galvanise actions that will prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria are growing and spreading at alarming rates, leading the WHO to declare that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. It is estimated 700,000 people die each year as a result of drug resistant diseases, with this number predicted to increase to over 10 million deaths per year by 2050.
The Institute was founded through a generous £100 million donation from Ineos, one of the world’s largest chemical and manufacturing companies, with the support of its Chairman, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Read the news release Find out more about Ineos
Leadership
The IOI is a joint initiative, based in the Division of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS), and delivered through the Departments of Chemistry and Zoology. Leadership is provided by an Academic Management Committee (AMC), with research directed by co-Principal Investigators, Professor Tim Walsh (Biology) and Professor Chris Schofield FRS (Chemistry), and programmes in public engagement and policy led by Mr David Sweetnam (AMC Chair).
We deliver our work through extensive international collaboration among academic researchers, industry experts and professional advisers who are committed to advancing research and informing action that addresses the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Find out more about our people
