From discovery to solutions: McGill’s multidisciplinary approach to antimicrobial resistance
McGill University’s Antimicrobial Resistance Centre brings together research in diagnostics, surveillance, prevention, and therapeutics. Its goal is clear: deliver practical solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance, or AMR.
AMR occurs when microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites stop responding to medicines meant to kill them. As a result, infections become harder to treat and prevent. According to the World Health Organization, in 2023, nearly one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide showed resistance to antibiotics. This trend raises the risk of disease spread, longer illness, and death. At the same time, it threatens decades of progress in modern medicine. Beyond healthcare, AMR also affects food security, agriculture, and environmental stability. For these reasons, it poses a global challenge.
Today, AMR stands among the most urgent public health threats of the 21st century. It undermines medicine, food production, and environmental protection. However, scientific discovery alone cannot solve it. Instead, progress requires collaboration, innovation, and real-world use. Because AMR spans human, animal, and environmental systems, single-discipline research falls short. Therefore, a coordinated One Health approach is essential.
Turning research into real-world impact
At McGill University in Canada, researchers at the AMR Centre work to close the gap between laboratory research and field application. They turn basic discoveries into tools and strategies that can be used in practice. By integrating diagnostics, surveillance, prevention, and therapeutics, the Centre shows how academic research can drive meaningful change and reduce AMR risks.
The AMR Centre acts as a hub for collaboration and innovation. It includes more than 60 investigators from McGill and partner institutions. These researchers come from Medicine and Health Sciences, Dentistry, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Law, and Engineering. As a result, the Centre approaches AMR from many angles. Its mission focuses on moving discoveries out of the lab and into real-world use.
To support this work, the Centre provides shared resources. These include an intensive care unit research platform for severe infections and AMR. This platform supports studies in critically ill patients. The Centre also maintains a microbial library with a large collection of pathogenic bacteria. Researchers use it to develop new diagnostics and treatments. In addition, the Centre runs year-round seminars, symposia, outreach, and training programmes. Together, these efforts keep the research community connected and informed.
Diagnostics: enabling early detection
Early detection plays a key role in controlling resistant infections. At the AMR Centre, researchers design next-generation diagnostic tools that are fast, low-cost, and adaptable. These tools include nanosensor technologies, CRISPR-based molecular tests, and microfluidic biosensors. They can detect resistance markers directly from clinical or environmental samples.
Importantly, researchers also adapt these tools for agriculture and environmental monitoring. They help detect resistant bacteria in livestock, soil, and wastewater. Portable systems now provide near-real-time data. As a result, AMR surveillance becomes faster and more effective. By combining engineering and biomedical science, McGill researchers enable earlier action and better AMR control.
Surveillance and prevention: tracking resistance pathways
To prevent resistance, researchers must understand how and where it spreads. At the AMR Centre, teams study AMR across hospitals, farms, wastewater systems, and natural environments. They use genomics, bioinformatics, and environmental monitoring to trace resistance pathways. These pathways often link human activity with wider ecosystems.
In addition, McGill researchers work with government agencies and international partners. Together, they strengthen AMR monitoring efforts. For example, studies of wastewater near hospitals and bacteria in food systems reveal how resistance spreads locally and globally. When combined with computational models, these findings help identify priority areas for action. This approach supports better strategies to limit the spread of resistant bacteria.
Therapeutics: developing new treatment strategies
As traditional antibiotics lose power, new treatments are urgently needed. At McGill, researchers explore therapies that work in different ways. They use structure-based design, artificial intelligence, and anti-virulence methods. These approaches aim to weaken pathogens without encouraging further resistance.
The Centre brings together experts in microbiology, infectious diseases, chemistry, structural biology, and biophysics. Together, they advance antimicrobial and microbiome-focused therapies through early drug development. Programmes such as the McGill Innovation Fund AMR support cross-disciplinary projects and speed up preclinical testing. In parallel, Biosafety Level 1, 2, and 3 facilities allow rapid validation of new compounds. As a result, Canada’s capacity to deliver new antimicrobial treatments continues to grow.
Collaboration for lasting impact
Solving AMR requires collective action, not isolated breakthroughs. Through initiatives like the AMR Quebec Network and Can AMR Net, the AMR Centre builds a strong research ecosystem. These networks connect academia, government, industry, and public health.
The AMR Quebec Network brings together 93 members from seven universities, four research institutions, and four government organisations. It supports shared expertise, resources, and training. Meanwhile, Can AMR Net serves as a national training platform. It offers early career researchers mentorship, hands-on experience, and interdisciplinary skills. Together, these programmes strengthen Canada’s AMR research capacity.
Beyond these networks, the Centre works with institutional and international partners. It supports collaborations that advance technology and move discoveries toward real-world use. This includes engagement with global incubators and AMR research consortia.
The McGill AMR Centre welcomes new collaborators and partners. Through global partnerships, diverse expertise, and coordinated action, the Centre accelerates the development of diagnostics, therapies, and prevention strategies. In doing so, it helps combat antimicrobial resistance at both local and global levels.
