The goal of SEARCHER is to characterize emergent antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment, which will allow for their inclusion into AMR surveillance and detection before they become clinical problems. To achieve this, we aim to use a variety of methods to identify novel ARGs, investigate their potential to transfer to pathogens, and pinpoint specific early warning indicators for emerging ARGs. To bring this knowledge to AMR monitoring, we will also improve monitoring protocols for AMR (such as those developed in EMBARK, see below) so that they can be quickly updated with novel ARGs,
define important settings where humans interact with environmental bacteria carrying novel ARGs by sampling locations at the interface of humans, animals and the environment, and provide resources for integration of emerging ARGs in routine AMR surveillance.

Our mission is that the program will result in an early warning system for emerging AMR threats. This system should be implementable in real-world surveillance in human, animal and environmental settings targeting applicability, affordability, and high information content.

EMBARK – The lead-up to SEARCHER

The project is the continuation of the EMBARK program, aiming to establish a monitoring baseline for antimicrobial resistance in key environment. The EMBARK program ended in 2023.

There were two main goals for EMBARK. The first was to establish a baseline for how common resistance is in the environment and what resistance types that can be expected where. That background data was then used to underpin the second goal, which was to standardize different methods for resistance surveillance and identify high-priority target that should be used for efficient monitoring. In addition, EMBARK developed and evaluated methods to detect new resistance factors and thereby provide an early-warning system for emerging resistance threats.

The goal of EMBARK was to produce a new monitoring scheme designed so that it can be used modularly depending on the available resources, leading to more efficient use of money and time and enabling environmental monitoring of resistance where it might be most needed, namely in low-income countries with poor hygiene standards. Establishing a coherent monitoring scheme is a key factor for efficient monitoring, and this in turn is essential to limit resistance development in the future. EMBARK –just like SEARCHER – took a one-health approach to understand and control antibiotic resistance also outside of the healthcare setting.

Hear EMBARK coordinator Johan Bengtsson-Palme talk about the project in this video released by JPIAMR when the program was just approved for funding.