Project Objectives:
- Experimental elucidation of AMR dynamics and transport across Musi and Adyar rivers
- Measure water flow by gauges, level loggers and remote sensing
- Quantify antibiotics/metals, ARGs by qPCR and metagenomics, and ARBs by culturing
- Determine AMR dynamics of samples in lab reactor mesocosms
- Track the fate of a resistance plasmid in synthetic communities of sensitive and resistant strains as well as river samples mimicking observed environmental conditions
- Measure ARB infection risk and antibiotic dose response curve in human cell lines and Zebrafish embryos and Zebrafish models
- Combined mathematical modelling of small-scale AMR dynamics and large-scale transport
- Build mathematical model of small-scale AMR dynamics microAMR (antibiotic degradation, resistance (co)selection and transfer, competition between sensitive and resistant bacteria) and validate with data from 1b,c,d
- Build mathematical model of large-scale AMR transport macroFlow during dry and monsoon seasons and validate with data from 1a
- Combine both models into AMRflow model by inserting ‘particles’ (representing small volumes where AMR dynamics is modelled) in the large-scale flow model to predict how far AMR will spread and how long these ‘particles’ were changing and evolving
- Evaluation of mitigation strategies and risks to inform policy
- Run the combined model to simulate interventions such as introducing sewage treatment plants, separating treatment of different wastes, building containment reservoirs etc. to evaluate their effectiveness
- Build Bayesian belief network for risk analysis
- Feed output of combined model 2c and 1e into assessment of exposure and risks
- Make recommendations for environmental standards and interventions to relevant stakeholders
- Other important objectives are training and skills exchange
Project webpage link: AMRFLOWS