Infographic Design

We are combating the global antibiotic resistance crisis, which is expected to kill 10 million people annually by 2050 -- nearly 3 times more deaths than COVID-19 caused in 2021. Roughly 90% of antibiotic resistance deaths will occur in Africa and Asia, so we work specifically with public health scientists in those regions. We empower those scientists to develop bacteriophages (also called phages), which are inexpensive, naturally occurring antibiotic alternatives that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Phages have been used against problem bacteria for over 100 years, particularly in the former Soviet Union, and they are regaining popularity in the US in Europe, but they have not been applied anywhere in Africa and only minimally in Asia. Importantly, phages can be isolated from local contaminated environments using equipment that is readily available to scientists in developing countries. Through in-country laboratory workshops, we teach scientists how to isolate phages, and we support those researchers as they develop phage products for applications in people, livestock, crops, and aquaculture, bringing in international partners as needed. Since 2017 we have trained 131 scientists from 16 countries throughout Africa and Asia, and thus far, they have: (1) taught phage biology to approximately 1200 others through their home institutions; (2) initiated at least 50 phage research projects and; (3) won grants totaling more than $945,000 to support their phage work.