All the latest SAAFE news and AMR updates
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JUNE NEWS
Message from SAAFE's Analytics Program Lead Professor Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães
Welcome to the June edition of SAAFE news. To protect Australia's reputation as a premium safe food producer, it's vital we have efficient antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU) data processing and reporting. Under SAAFE's Analytics program the University of Queensland (UQ), in partnership with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), has worked with SAAFE partners and stakeholders to build the foundations needed to help Australia's water, horticulture and wine sectors better manage data related to AMR and AMU.
This important project, titled Advancing agribusiness digital transformation to prevent pathogen resistance and improve food security, has culminated in an online platform SAAFE partners will be able to use to standardise and augment their data. I hope you enjoy reading more about this project in our linked article.
This month you'll also meet our new Curtin Foundation Fellow Dr Joel Haywood, hear the latest AMR news from Australia and abroad, and find our curated list of academic publications and upcoming events.
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Building the foundations for better AMU and AMR data management in Australia's agribusiness and water sectors
New data resources put Australia’s agribusiness and water sectors in a stronger position to manage AMR risk, respond to emerging threats, and protect food and water safety and security.
RESEARCHER IN FOCUS
Dr Joel Haywood, Research Fellow, Curtin University
Structural biologist Dr Joel Haywood is doing impactful research to improve the productivity and profitability of orchards impacted by the world's most commercially significant apple disease - apple scab.
Before moving to the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University, Joel worked on new herbicide discovery in Australia and overseas, and will now apply this experience to fungicides as the primary tool for managing apple scab.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEWS
SAAFE's FIRST SCHOLARS COHORT MEETING
We recently brought together SAAFE's growing Scholars Cohort for the first time, representing many AMR research areas, from conventional and biological farming systems to genomic analyses within wastewater treatment trains. This initial meeting highlighted the invaluable impact each member is having on AMR research collectively.
The cohort currently numbers 14 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from six of our partner universities – UniSA, Curtin, UWA, WEHI (Uni Melb), UTS and UQ.
The collaborative nature of the SAAFE Scholars Program leverages the expertise of the scholars, the research program leads and industry partners to deliver high impact research. This event marked the first of many collaborative events within the Scholars Program.
PHD APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
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.
A new annual assessment from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), The State of the World’s Animal Health 2025, reviews animal disease trends, risks and challenges. The report’s topics include animal vaccines, antibiotic use and AMR.
WOAH’s Ninth Annual Report on Antimicrobial Agents Intended for Use in Animals reports a 5% decrease in antimicrobial use in animals between 2020 and 2022 but notes that more work is needed to improve reporting and compliance with international standards.
Research into fungal diseases in barley crops on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula highlights the importance of reviewing disease management practices for improved future disease resistance.
Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Innovation in Australia, a report from CSIRO and The Lens, gives an update on the research & innovation environment for AMR technologies and solutions in Australia.
- Advancing Aquaculture Health Research reports on a February 2025 WOAH workshop that brought together researchers and funders to identify the highest-priority research areas for managing finfish diseases.
- The ninth round of the Tracking Antimicrobial Resistance Country Self-assessment Survey (TrACSS) is underway. Carried out annually by the Quadripartite Organisations (WHO, UNEP, FAO and WOAH), the survey helps countries assess their progress in implementing national action plans for tackling AMR.
- Based on insights from a global consultation process, Understanding different stakeholders’ priorities for an independent panel on evidence for action on AMR from the Center for Global Development offers a roadmap for designing an independent panel to support the global response to AMR.
- Targeted Action and Financing the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance in Asia, a paper from the World Economic Forum and others, aims to inform and encourage private funders, impact investors and philanthropists to support the fight against AMR.
- The International Plant Protection Convention's first-ever survey on AMR and resistance to fungicides aims to produce a comprehensive overview of AMR's impact across plant, human and animal health.
AMR SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
SAAFE's research team has curated a selection of recent publications that may be of interest to our AMR community.
Changing climate and socioeconomic factors contribute to global antimicrobial resistance - Sustainable development strategies are the most effective approach to help low and middle-income countries address the dual challenges of climate change and AMR.
Exposure and health risks of livestock air resistomes - The diversity, abundance, and risk of airborne antibiotic-resistance genes in livestock farms is much higher in China than in Europe, suggesting that limits on antibiotic use mitigate AMR on farms.
The global impact of industrialisation and climate change on antimicrobial resistance: assessing the role of Eco-AMR Zones - To counter the effects of industrial activities on the evolution and spread of AMR genes, researchers propose creating ‘Eco-AMR Zones’ to promote sustainable practices in high-risk regions.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development map: A conceptual map and a tool to support economic evaluation of AMR interventions - To help inform policy decisions on which AMR interventions to fund, researchers have mapped AMR processes and drivers to track how interventions affect population health and healthcare costs.
MOBHunter: a data integration platform for identification and classification of mobile genetic elements in microbial genomes - An advanced bioinformatic pipeline enables the comprehensive, evidence-based identification and classification of mobile genetic elements – fragments of DNA that can carry antibiotic resistance.
A global atlas and drivers of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella during 1900-2023 - An analysis of 208,233 Salmonella genomes over multiple regions and years shows antibiotic consumption, agriculture, climate, urban, health and socioeconomic factors contribute to the rise of AMR.
The 20th PBC International Conference
The 20th Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Conference, held late last month in Vietnam featured a presentation from SAAFE's Analytics Program Lead Professor Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães.
The presentation covered the links between climate-sensitive diseases and extreme weather events and highlighted the protocol Ricardo and his team have developed. The protocol emphasises the use of expert-driven criteria and geospatial modelling to rank and map the suitability of zoonotic diseases under climate change scenarios. Ricardo explained how the protocol steps and outputs enhance cross-sectoral risk assessment, improve surveillance and preparedness, and supports One Health decision-making by integrating environmental, animal and human health data.
2025 EVENTS
Please visit our industry conferences and meetings page for more details about the below events.
7th FRDC Australasian Scientific Conference on Aquatic Animal Health & Biosecurity: Technology for Improved Production and Health, Tuesday July 8 - Friday July 11, Pullman Reef Hotel, Cairns
Australian Society for Microbiology AGM (incl. CliniCon) - Monday July 14 to Thursday July 17, Adelaide Convention Centre
Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference - Sunday July 20 - Wednesday July 23, Adelaide Convention Centre
ANZCVS Vet Science Week - Thursday July 24 - Saturday July 25, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Protected Cropping Australian Conference - Monday July 28 - Wednesday July 30, Adelaide Convention Centre
2025 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia Conference - Monday August 25 - Thursday August 28, Welllington, New Zealand
FEATURED EVENTS
The Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance (CEA-StAR) invites you to join other researchers and industry stakeholders at its 2025 Industry Symposium to explore collaborative solutions to antimicrobial resistance across the environmental and agricultural sectors. The symposium will showcase current industry research, promote engagement across projects, and foster meaningful connections between emerging researchers and established leaders in the field.
Date: Friday, 18 July 2025
Time: 9:00am - 4:30pm ACST
Venue: University of Adelaide Medical and Health Sciences Building
North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
Register now for this free symposium
Speakers include:
- Prof Ryo Honda - Kanazawa University
- Dr Katie Asplin - Animal Medicines Australia
- Prof Sam Abraham - Murdoch University
- Prof Harriet Whiley - Flinders University & ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research & Innovation
- Prof Andy Ball - RMIT & ARC Training Centre for Biosolids
- Dr Claire Hayward - UniSA SAAFE Foundation Fellow
Global Minds, Local Breakthroughs: Fuelling Innovation in Antimicrobial Resistance
An exclusive discussion with leading experts to uncover the myths surrounding innovation and commercialisation in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
Time: 12.00 - 2.00pm, ACST
Venue: SAMHRI Auditorium, Adelaide
Speakers include:
- Prof Steve Wesselingh, CEO, National Health & Medical Research Council
- Prof Keith McNeil, Commissioner, Commission on Excellence & Innovation in Health
- Richard Alm, Chief Scientific Officer, CARB-X
- Alan Paul, Executive Country Medical Director, GSK Australia
- Andrew Bowskill, Co-Chair, Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Network (AAMRNet)
ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF AMR CONFERENCE 2026
SAAFE is delighted to host EDAR 8, August 2-7, 2026 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Brisbane, Queensland.
An established biannual global conference series that brings together leading researchers from across the world to share insights about One Health AMR, EDAR has helped raise awareness about the complex, cross-sectoral nature of AMR, while building a strong, connected and collaborative community of researchers. It allows attendees to share findings and to identify key opportunities for advancing the protection of public health and the environment.
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