Joakim Larsson group

A core challenge is to understand the flow of resistance genes from the diverse environmental reservoir that over time are recruited into the human microbiota. How did the genes that are clinical problems today make their way into pathogens? What antibiotic resistance genes are likely to be discovered in pathogens in the future? What environments and conditions are driving the mobilization, transfer and fixation of different resistance factors? The group is also interested in exploring the role of environmental transmission routes of resistant pathogens, particularly via contaminated water. Some of the ongoing projects are aiming at using the resistance pattern of fecal bacteria in sewage as a proxy for the resistance situation in the local human population. Finally, the research group is interested in the translational aspects, i.e. how can the research results best be brought into effective policy? Larsson is also the director of the interdisciplinary Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research at University of Gothenburg – CARe.