SEPTEMBER NEWS 

Message from SAAFE Researcher, UniSA Associate Professor and Enterprise Fellow, Barbara Drigo

We’re excited to share the results of a successful pilot project that marks a big step forward in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in seafood production. Working with partners including SeaBOS and the University of South Australia, we’ve developed a reliable method to identify AMR determinants in farmed shrimp and their environments.

This new approach not only helps producers detect resistance genes but also provides insights into environmental pathways, supporting better antibiotic stewardship and building trust in seafood products. With the pilot successfully completed in Thailand, the project is now looking to expand across other shrimp-producing countries and species. Read more about this important activity in the below article. 

This month's newsletter also spotlights Dr Zakaria Solaiman, a soil microbial ecologist at the University of Western Australia. His work explores how tackling AMR at its environmental roots can deliver benefits for farmers, industry, and the wider community.

You’ll also find a roundup of upcoming events, the latest AMR news and a curated selection of academic publications, everything you need to stay connected and informed.

Feel free to share this newsletter with colleagues and invite them to subscribe as it’s the best way to stay in the loop with SAAFE's research, updates and opportunities.

We also want to know if you have any news, achievements or exciting activities to share. From cutting-edge research and industry breakthroughs to community initiatives, your updates keep our AMR community informed, inspired, and connected so please get in touch. 

SUPPORTING SHRIMP PRODUCERS TO IMPROVE ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP

A successful SAAFE pilot project has confirmed the feasibility of combining targeted and broad-spectrum approaches for identifying AMR determinants in shrimps and farming environments.

EDAR8 WORKSHOP SUBMISSIONS OPEN 

Workshop submissions for EDAR8 are officially open. This is your chance to design and lead an interactive and practical session that brings participants together to explore solutions, share methods, and foster dialogue across disciplines and sectors.   

HOW TO APPLY
View the guidelines and download the submission form here.

Or head straight to the submission portal via the button below to begin your submission.

Submissions close on October 24, 2025.

RESEARCHER IN FOCUS

Dr Zakaria Solaiman, SAAFE Foundation Fellow

Dr Zakaria Solaiman is an esteemed soil microbial ecologist who explores strategies to enhance soil health and fertility within sustainable agricultural systems. He is developing projects focused on agricultural systems solutions, which aim to develop sustainable agricultural practices for managing AMR.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEWS

INTERESTED IN DOING A PhD?

AMR OPPORTUNITIES 

PhD proposal applications 

SAAFE PhD proposal applications are now open. The SAAFE funding package offers:

• A top-up living allowance scholarship of up to $15k per year for 3.5 years FTE
• A professional development funding package of $21k per candidate for 3 years

Like SAAFE projects, PhD proposals should be driven by an identified industry need. Projects can be submitted under 3 categories:

• Student-proposed project
• University-proposed project
• Co-designed project with university and industry partner 

Please contact SAAFE's E&T Program Manager Dr Lisa Kirkland for more information.

AMR NEWS

Keeping you informed of recent national and international announcements including the latest AMR policy and regulatory news.

• Legislation to create Australia’s first Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has been introduced to federal parliament. The proposed body aims to provide trusted, independent and transparent leadership on public health, strengthening the nation’s ability to prevent and respond to health threats.
• Precautionary fungicide use could threaten canola production in Australia by driving resistance – similar to issues seen with barley, warns Curtin/SAAFE researcher and Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) project lead Dr Fran Lopez-Ruiz. AFREN advises applying fungicides only when economically justified and rotating between different fungicide groups to slow the development of resistance.

• An independent review of the Australia–WOAH One Health Partnership, a project funded by the Australian Government that supports a One Health response and capacity building across the Pacific to strengthen veterinary services and animal health security, found OHP to be well aligned with regional priorities and identified areas for improvement to ensure that Phase 2 produces valuable results and measurable impact.

• The WHO Collaborating Centre for Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance, recently launched in the UK and hosted by the University of Oxford, will contribute to the organisation’s strategic priorities in tackling AMR through enhanced data generation, integration and use, and is one of 38 collaborating centres specifically designed to support WHO's AMR work. 

NEW PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT

We’re delighted to announce a new partnership between SAAFE and NuFiba, an Australian Agri-Tech company that is redefining how we think about agricultural by-products.

NuFiba specialises in upcycling sugarcane waste into high-value dietary fibres for use in food, beverage, and nutraceutical applications. Their innovative approach demonstrates how sustainability and science can go hand-in-hand to create healthier outcomes for both people and the planet.

The collaboration will focus on supporting safe food production and exploring how the gut microbiome may contribute to improved animal health outcomes.

It also reflects our shared commitment to advancing human and planetary health through sustainable agrifood innovation.

We look forward to sharing updates as the partnership unfolds and new insights emerge.

AMR SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

SAAFE's research team has curated a selection of recent publications that may be of interest to our AMR community. 

Cooper-Beknazarova M, Van den Akker B, Ashbolt N. Free-Living Protozoa as Important Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance in Engineered Water Systems and Their Ecological Niches. ACS ES&T Water, 2025 Sep

Byrnes NA, Silvester R, Cross G, Weightman AJ, Jones DL, Kasprzyk-Hordern B. Assessing the risk of antimicrobial resistance and potential environmental harm through national-scale surveillance of antimicrobials in hospital and community wastewater. Environ Int. 2025 Aug

Pinamonti D, Vidic J, Maifreni M, Cossettini A, Leguillier V, Manzano M. Water-Mediated Dissemination and Detection of Antibiotic Resistance Across Livestock, Agri-Food, and Aquaculture Systems. Micromachines (Basel). 2025 Aug

Ali M, Xu C, Li K. Micro- and Nanoplastics as Emerging Threats to Both Terrestrial and Aquatic Animals: A Comprehensive Review. Vet Sci. 2025 Jul  

Hanbiao C, Sapula SA, Turnidge J, Venter H. The effect of commonly used nonantibiotic medications on antimicrobial resistance development in Escherichia coli. Nature. 2025 Aug

Patel J, Moghaddam SS, Ranganathan S, Vezeau N, O'Neil E, Harant A, Stolpe M, Wieler LH, Eckmanns T, Sridhar D. Global policy responses to antimicrobial resistance, 2021–22: a systematic governance analysis of 161 countries and territories. The Lancet. 2025 Sep

SAAFE SUPPORTED EVENT HIGHLIGHT

SETAC Australasia 2025 Conference 

A SAAFE sponsored session during the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia (SETAC) 2025 conference focused on “Identifying ecologically relevant endpoints for microbial processes” and highlighted the pressing need to integrate microbial processes and antimicrobial resistance into environmental risk frameworks. 

SAAFE scientists also co-convened a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) sponsored post-conference workshop. Working alongside well-known SETAC ecotoxicologists Monique Binet, Andrew Harford and Anthony Chariton, SAAFE's Nicholas Ashbolt, Claire Hayward and Erica Donner co-designed and delivered a workshop that started the important conversation on how we enable the inclusion of microbial ecotoxicology knowledge in regulatory approaches for marine and freshwaters in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

The workshop participants noted that microbes are the unsung heroes of aquatic ecosystems, yet their roles have been largely overlooked in current ANZ guideline value derivation. At the workshop, participants:

• Assessed how the current ANZ guideline definition of “ecological relevance” applies through a microbial lens
• Explored new microbial endpoints, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance, resilience and redundancy
• Discussed how to integrate these endpoints with existing measures for higher organisms

2025 EVENTS 

Please visit our conferences and meetings page for more details about the below industry and partner events.

• Australian Veterinarians in Public Health Webinar: From Interim to Impact: Australia’s CDC, One Health and the Power of Partnerships, featuring Dr Sarah Britton - Wednesday October 1

• International Data Week (IDW) - Monday October 13 - Thursday October 16, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

• Next Water 2025 - Tuesday October 21 and Wednesday October 22, Crowne Plaza Melbourne, University of Melbourne

• Veterinary Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit, Asia Pacific - Monday 27 - Tuesday 28 October, University of Melbourne, Parkville

• HEAL 2025 Conference - Monday November 3 - Thursday November 6

• The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Conference - Sunday November 16 - Wednesday November 19, Hobart, Tasmania

• The Interdisciplinary Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance and Innovation - Wednesday January 28 - Friday January 30, Las Vegas

GET IN TOUCH 

Share your news, achievements or upcoming activities. Whether it’s groundbreaking research, industry innovations, or community initiatives, your contributions help keep our AMR community informed and connected.

Contact us via this form. 

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