Collaboration & Innovation at Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology Symposium

The Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology (CBRB) hosted a successful one-day symposium on 8 September 2025.

The event, led by new Centre Co-Directors Professor Mariagrazia Pizza and Professor Shiranee Sriskandan, convened around 100 attendees, including academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and institutional leaders, to engage in discussions on advancements in bacterial infection biology.

The symposium began with opening remarks from Imperial’s Provost Professor Ian Walmsley, setting the stage for a series of presentations by both internal and external speakers. Dr. Colin Brown from the UK Health Security Agency provided an overview of the current state and future directions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the UK.

Professor Gwen Knight from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine discussed the importance of considering age and sex in modelling antibiotic resistance dynamics. Professor Alison Holmes, Director of the Fleming Initiative, offered an update on the initiative's recent developments.

Presentations from CBRB members covered a range of topics, including genomic insights into Streptococcus agalactiae, strategies for accelerating vaccine development against invasive Salmonella, and mechanisms of bacterial efflux pumps. Flash talks provided early career researchers with an opportunity to present innovative approaches in areas such as engineered bacteria for gut disease detection, 3D microbiome models, and cell-free antimicrobial tools.

Collaborative sessions facilitated interdisciplinary dialogue, with discussions on topics like Staphylococcus aureus human challenge models, bacterial evolution through inter-species PICI transfer, and structural analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes PBP2X. These sessions underscored the Centre's commitment to fostering collaboration across disciplines and with external partners.

"The symposium has laid a firm foundation for the next chapter of our work. By strengthening connections within the Centre and encouraging dialogue across disciplines and with external partners, we are exploring collaborative opportunities that will shape our future at Imperial and beyond." Professors Mariagrazia Pizza & Shiranee Sriskandan Co-Directors, CBRB

Networking opportunities, including coffee breaks and a closing drinks reception, allowed attendees to strengthen connections within the Centre and explore potential collaborative opportunities.

Professors Pizza and Sriskandan said: ‘The energy and insights from everyone in our community who attended the symposium have laid a firm foundation for the next chapter of our work. It was fantastic to have the Provost’s opening remarks, hear talks from guest speakers Dr. Colin Brown and Professor Gwenan Knight, and get an update from Professor Alison Holmes on the Fleming Initiative. It was also a great opportunity to learn about the research of new CBRB members. The symposium was very well attended and offered a unique opportunity for networking. By strengthening connections within the Centre and encouraging dialogue across disciplines and with external partners, we are exploring collaborative opportunities that will shape our future at Imperial and beyond.’