The discovery of antibiotics (ABXs) ushered mankind into the ‘antibiotic era'. An age of medical superiority over infectious diseases that transformed countless lives around the world. However, the effectiveness of ABXs shortly after their discovery, began to diminish with the emergence of natural antibiotic resistance (AR). The rise of AR has been accelerated due to human activities such as over and inappropriate use; this has been overcome in the short term with the development of new ABXs. Unfortunately, resistance has begun to emerge to these new ABXs too. To help preserve current ABXs in use this project looks at ways in which ABXs can be removed from environments to help preserve their functions and ultimately delay AR.
As part of my MPharm degree, my dissertation was on the formation of tetracycline loaded zinc microparticles for pulmonary delivery, this fuelled my curiosity on pharmaceutical formulation. After completion of my MPharm at Kingston in 2020, I went on to practice as a registered pharmacist in both community and GP settings. Working within these cross-sector settings, I gained insight and experience both as a pharmacist but also as an individual. I believe my pharmacy background gives me a certain perspective when it comes to antibiotics, in addition to my fascination of pharmaceutical formulations, with my PhD focusing on both attributes.