As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to threaten global health systems, the PAR Foundation proudly announces its 2025 cohort of grantees – five exceptional researchers and educators committed to building sustainable, science-driven solutions to combat AMR. Through both research and education grants, these projects will strengthen surveillance, innovation, and community engagement across multiple continents.
“Each of these initiatives represents the Foundation’s commitment to advancing global AMR prevention through collaboration, innovation, and education,” says Ghadeh Norberg, Secretary-General of the PAR Foundation. “Our 2025 grantees are tackling AMR from laboratory benches to community hospitals, ensuring that evidence-based practices translate into real-world change.”
Educational Grants
- Dr Jennifer Le – University of California San Diego, USA
Project: Metallo-Beta-Lactamase Education (MBL-ED) Program
Dr Le’s project focuses on developing and evaluating a global education program addressing metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) resistance. By training healthcare professionals in both the U.S. and Vietnam, the project aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, antibiotic stewardship, and clinical outcomes in infections caused by MBL-producing organisms.
- Dr Sushma Krishna – PES University Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, India
Project: Building Datasets on Indian Sepsis and AMR-Related Infections
This project builds a robust data repository on sepsis and antibiotic resistance in Indian hospitals. Through digital health integration and hospital collaborations, Dr. Krishna’s team will enable clinicians and policymakers to monitor resistance trends and improve infection management nationwide.
- Ajuwon, Opeyemi Oluwaseyi – Damien Foundation Genomics and Mycobacterium Research Laboratory, Nigeria
Project: Breaking the Chain of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Transmission Among Livestock Farmers in Nigeria
Ajuwon’s project addresses the critical interface between human and animal health, targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among livestock farmers, a population often overlooked in AMR prevention efforts. The initiative seeks to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use while introducing behaviour-change interventions to reduce antibiotic misuse in animal farming.
Research Grants
- Sabrina Green – KU Leuven, Belgium
Project: Phage-Guided Evolution to Stop Transmission of AMR
Sabrina Green’s innovative research explores how bacteriophages can be harnessed to limit the horizontal transfer of resistance genes. The project combines molecular biology and microbial ecology to identify new therapeutic strategies that reduce AMR transmission in hospital settings.
- Dr Sofia Houida – Institut Pasteur of Morocco, Morocco
Project: Genomic Epidemiology and Geospatial Analysis of Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis
Dr Houida leads Morocco’s first national genomic surveillance initiative focused on rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. Using genomic sequencing and geospatial mapping, the project aims to strengthen surveillance networks and inform targeted AMR interventions across North Africa.
- Pedro Matos Pereira – ITQB NOVA, Portugal
Project: KILLSTAPH – A Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Development of Next-Generation Antimicrobial Compounds
The KILLSTAPH project brings together microbiologists, chemists, and clinicians to develop new compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, one of the world’s most persistent pathogens. Pereira’s team integrates structural biology, chemistry, and translational medicine to accelerate antimicrobial discovery.
Through its grants, the PAR Foundation continues to invest in individuals and institutions that are not only conducting groundbreaking research but also inspiring communities to act. Together, these grantees form a new frontier in the global mission to prevent antimicrobial resistance.
