• Wellcome Connecting Science

Bacterial Genomes: Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens

What's antimicrobial resistance and how can we detect it? Explore the clinical relevance of AMR and the methods used to detect it.

20,242 enrolled on this course

Advanced Courses' AMR Course Lab Vietnam 2019
  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    5 hours
  • Digital upgrade

    Free

Explore the challenges of AMR and learn how experts work to address them

AMR is a public health emergency. Global projections predict the loss of nearly 10 million lives and up to $100 trillion lost in global production by 2050. According to the United Nations and the WHO, AMR requires immediate international action.

On this course, you will explore the historical and epidemiological aspects of antibiotics and AMR, and recognise its clinical significance.

You will explore the role of genomics in tackling AMR from research, diagnostic and surveillance perspectives, as well as the principles and practice of AMR Quality Assurance.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds Resistance to antibiotics is one of the most pressing issues in global health today. This exciting new online course, Antimicrobial Resistance and Bacterial Pathogens, is about the laboratory techniques used to detect and study antimicrobial resistance and the new horizons opened up by the application of genomic techniques. I’m Fahad Khokhar. And I’m Beth Blane. We’re researchers at the University of Cambridge. In this course, you’ll be learning about some of the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and some techniques used to identify resistant strains, and molecular methods with bioinformatic tools to analyse genomic data.

Skip to 0 minutes and 45 seconds You’ll also hear from leaders in the field of AMR research to gain an insight into how they are using these techniques and tools, as well as potential issues they might be facing as we continue to combat this global threat. If you are a health care professional or scientist working in AMR or anyone with an interest in this urgent problem, then this course is for you. You will learn about the most effective techniques available and the impact of genomics. You’ll also hear from people all over the world working in the field.

Skip to 1 minute and 12 seconds We hope you’ll be able to join us over the next few weeks and to take part in discussions about AMR and how to solve some of the problems it causes for health care around the world.

What topics will you cover?

  • Significance and challenges of AMR and the need for control of antibiotic use
  • Mechanisms of antibiotic action, resistance and evolution
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing
  • Molecular detection and characterisation of AMR resistance genes
  • Recent developments in genomic technology for tackling AMR

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe the clinical significance and challenges of AMR
  • Describe molecular approaches and techniques for the detection and characterisation of AMR genes
  • Identify the resistance profile of bacterial pathogens
  • Explain the principles and practice of Quality Assurance and Quality Control in AMR surveillance techniques, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and reporting
  • Explore the role of genomics in tackling AMR from a research, diagnostics and surveillance point of view

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for researchers and healthcare professionals interested in infectious diseases, epidemics and the problem of microbial resistance. It will help those with backgrounds in microbiology or bioinformatics to work together.

No prior learning is required, but it is recommended learners with no previous knowledge of AMR take the introductory FutureLearn course, Bacterial Genomes: Disease Outbreaks and AMR.

What software or tools do you need?

No previously installed software is required. You may be required to access websites to use bioinformatics tools.

What do people say about this course?

I look at tackling antimicrobial resistance as saving humankind

"I look at tackling antimicrobial resistance as saving humankind"

Who will you learn with?

I am a research assistant in the Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, and a Health and Care Professions Council registered Biomedical Scientist.

I am a microbiologist based at the Wellcome Sanger Institue and the University of Cambridge in the UK. My research focuses on bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance.

I am a computational biologist with expertise in bacterial genomics and clinical microbiology. I have taught in multiple short courses on microbial genomics and antimicrobial resistance.

I am a bioinformatician at the University of Cambridge, UK. I work on detection of drug resistance from the whole genome sequences of bacterial pathogens.

I am a Research Assistant in the Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge. My research focusses on the diagnostics of bacterial pathogens and AMR genes.

Who developed the course?

Wellcome Connecting Science

Wellcome Connecting Science develops and delivers open postgraduates courses and conferences focused on biomedicine.

What's included?

Wellcome Connecting Science are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • Tests to validate your learning
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
  • Learning on FutureLearn

    Your learning, your rules

    • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
    • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
    • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

    Join a global classroom

    • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
    • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
    • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

    Map your progress

    • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
    • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
    • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

    Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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