About

The Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics and Therapeutics (APT) Group is based in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat and there has been a global push to address to develop new drugs. The APT is one of relatively few academic laboratories in the world that can develop pharmacodynamic packages for new antimicrobial agents. We study how antimicrobial agents are distributed in the body (pharmacokinetics) and their effect on killing microorganisms (pharmacodynamics).

APT provides preclinical and early phase clinical support to ensure new drugs are developed in a streamlined manner.  We provide a complete, integrated drug development package covering:

1. Experimental models for invasive bacterial and fungal diseases, including laboratory animal models, hollow fibre models of infection and other well characterised in vitro models of infection.
2. Advanced PK-PD mathematical modelling, including population pharmacokinetics, drug interaction modelling, antimicrobial resistance modelling, and Monte Carlo simulation.
3. Bioanalysis (LC/MS/MS run to GCP standards for laboratories).
4. Preclinical imaging using MALDI-MSI to assess the distribution of small molecules in target tissues and organs.
5. Training the next generation of researchers by hosting young investigators in our laboratories and running bespoke short courses, plus participation in expert workshops.
6. A strong track record of publication in peer reviewed literature, knowledge of regulatory processes, and translation of findings from the laboratory to the clinic.
7. Deep clinical knowledge of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology.

Contact William Hope, william.hope@liverpool.ac.uk for further information.