Modelling the Persistence of Antibiotic Resistance Bacteria

Theme: Ecology genetics and evolution 

Description: Our ability to tackle antibiotic resistance is limited by an imprecise understanding of the fitness costs of resistance mutations. The widespread coexistence of resistant and sensitive bacteria in the absence of antibiotics, in spite of fitness costs, presents a frustrating paradox. The goal of this project is to develop and analyse ODE models describing competition between drug resistance and sensitive bacteria to deepen our understanding of the role of fitness costs in regulating outcomes of competition in microbial systems.

Additional Information: This project is suitable for students with a background in mathematics or computer science interested in applying their skills to an important biological problem, or alternatively biologists with a strong quantitative background

Contact: Dr Andrew Letten