Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy awarded grant to increase the global impact and accessibility of antimicrobial stewardship

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota announced today that it has received a grant from Wellcome Trust to support the enhancement and reach of the CIDRAP Antimicrobial Stewardship Project (CIDRAP-ASP).

CIDRAP is a global leader in addressing public health preparedness, emerging infectious disease response and antimicrobial resistance. CIDRAP’s previous research on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship has involved building and maintaining an online platform that consolidates the best information on antimicrobial stewardship research and education from international sources; conducting in-depth journalism on issues relevant to the practice and policy of antimicrobial stewardship; focusing efforts specifically on research into the importance of diagnostics and surveillance to antimicrobial resistance management; and building the most comprehensive available resource hub on the intersections between COVID-19 and antimicrobial stewardship.

An engaging, multi-disciplinary and accessible resource for antimicrobial stewardship education, clinical tools and research is one of the most critical needs for managing the global increase of drug-resistant infections. 

The $1.1 million, two-year Wellcome Trust grant supports the work of CIDRAP-ASP to continue building a research base to inform antimicrobial stewardship practice and policy and the intersection of COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance, while also instituting a project-wide communications and outreach strategy focused particularly on the needs of low- and middle-income countries. 

“The CIDRAP-ASP platform is a fantastic resource that accelerates the translation of evidence into tangible action by providing actionable information to policymakers and practitioners. This grant will enable the platform to expand its reach in low- and middle-income countries where drug-resistance has pandemic proportions with devastating impact on lives. We are pleased to be able to partner with CIDRAP-ASP in this effort,” said Tim Jinks, Head of the Drug Resistant Infections at Wellcome Trust.

The CIDRAP-ASP team is directed by Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, University of Minnesota Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, and Director of CIDRAP, and Kristine Moore, MD, MPH, Medical Director of CIDRAP. In addition to Drs. Osterholm and Moore, it includes CIDRAP staff members Carlos R. Cruz, Chris Dall, MA, Maya Peters, MPH, Marnie Peterson, PharmD, PhD, Natalie Vestin, MPH, and Jim Wappes.

“By approaching the problem of AMR through collection and analysis of available evidence, and then seeking to communicate the implications of that research to diverse communities, CIDRAP-ASP will fill a global gap in the accessibility of information translated to life-saving practice,” said Osterholm. 

To sustain and enhance the resource hub and online community that CIDRAP-ASP has built over the past 4 years, the CIDRAP team will focus on the following efforts:

• Integrating antimicrobial stewardship and resistance research, analysis, and communication under a four-pillar framework of journalism, research, education, and clinical tools to serve as a bridge between the overwhelming supply of information and the world of evidence-informed practice and policy.
• Developing a communications and outreach strategy that explores how science and storytelling inform the practice of population and individual health in a time when all people must play a role in antimicrobial stewardship.
• Continuing to research and disseminate accessible information on the intersection of COVID-19, antimicrobial stewardship, antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use.
• Enhancing outreach to practitioners in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in South and Southeast Asia, to help address the needs for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance, tools that can build multi-sectoral networks, data analysis to inform policy and updates to clinical guidelines or interventions, and opportunities that address inequities in access to research publication and funding. 
• Focusing on multifaceted news coverage of timely antimicrobial stewardship issues from diverse perspectives; access to and interpretation of clinical and policy research; development of databases for antimicrobial resistance surveillance and diagnostics information; global policy analysis, especially in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; provision of multidisciplinary and multimedia resources for antimicrobial stewardship education; production of webinars and podcasts with experts in the field; and curation of clinical tools and guidance for antimicrobial stewardship interventions and optimal antimicrobial use. 

"The possibility of increases in drug-resistant infections has been a question on the minds of many during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the work of CIDRAP-ASP will go a long way toward ensuring that the best available information on this problem reaches the clinicians, policymakers, and members of the public who can prevent and manage the threat," said Osterholm.

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About the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Antimicrobial Stewardship Project
CIDRAP-ASP provides current, accurate, and comprehensive information on antimicrobial stewardship and resistance and works to build an online community to address leading issues by providing freely available, high-quality information and educational resources on antimicrobial stewardship practice, research, and policy.

About the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 
CIDRAP is a global leader in addressing public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response. Founded in 2001, CIDRAP is part of the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Minnesota.

About Wellcome
Wellcome exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. We are a politically and financially independent foundation.