New grant for prevention of infections in elderly to tackle antibiotic resistance

PAR Foundation (The Foundation to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance) is targeting support to projects that prevent infections in elderly in a new grant call. The elderly population is increasing globally, and this is a driver for antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. Elderly persons are generally more susceptible to infections, and infections in elderly are also more difficult to diagnose because symptoms are different. Furthermore, knowledge and guidelines for optimal drug use for elderly are lacking, in part because clinical trials typically focus on a single condition and on young people. These trials therefore give limited guidance for treatment of elderly with comorbidities.

- We believe that by addressing prevention of disease among elderly the impact on antibiotic resistance can be relatively fast and be achieved at a lower cost than seeking to develop new antimicrobials, says Peter Rothschild, chairman of PAR Foundation.

Between 25% and 75% of antibiotic prescriptions in long-term care facilities for the elderly are thought to be inappropriate. Most research on antibiotic resistance prevention so far has been done in hospital settings, while most elderly either receive care at home or live in residential care facilities. Informal caregivers, such as spouses and other family members, often play an important part.

- There is a need for true innovation effectively targeting bottlenecks, or we risk a situation that may be far worse than the present pandemic. We want to encourage early-career researchers and also non-academics with bold ideas and a focus on real impact on the global scale to apply, says Cecilia Tilli, secretary-general of PAR Foundation.

Previous calls from PAR Foundation have granted support for immune related research from renowned Swedish research institutions such as Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University. This time, the call is open for applicants from anywhere in the world, and for both researchers, non-profits and individuals.

About the grant call

The grants will fund research, information projects, and/or educational projects that can prevent infections among elderly. Cross-disciplinary and behavioral science approaches are encouraged, as well as projects that have high relevance for low- and middle-income countries.

The application deadline is March 10thand the grant size is maximum 1 M SEK.
Research institutes, non-profit organizations, or individuals can apply. There is no geographical boundary, we accept applications from anywhere in the world.

About PAR Foundation

PAR Foundation (The Foundation to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance) is an independent grant-maker that was founded in 2017 and grants financial support for research, information projects, and educational projects: www.parfoundation.org

Contact:
Cecilia Tilli, Secretary-Generalcecilia.tilli@parfoundation.org