Determining the molecular mode of action of HPC product preservatives and characterising antimicrobial resistance in problematic bacterial contaminant

每年，全球生产数百万吨家庭和个人护理（HPC）产品，包括清洁产品、化妆品和洗漱用品。为了使这些产品不含微生物，工业制造商添加了抗微生物防腐剂。然而，产品偶尔会被微生物污染，其中最常见的是抗菌素耐药细菌，这也会导致人类感染。HPC行业正在经历相当大的变化，需要减少使用对环境有毒的防腐剂，消费者压力使用天然温和但效果较差的防腐剂，迫切要求减少一次性塑料包装。这些变化有利于增加HPC产品污染，并可能增加抗微生物药物耐药性（AMR）细菌，导致感染暴发。我们已经与联合利华研发（英国阳光港）合作，提供一个CASE博士奖学金，旨在填补与防腐剂使用和新的多功能产品成分有关的多个知识空白。卡迪夫大学和联合利华过去的合作博士培训已经研究了一系列有问题的抗微生物耐药细菌，包括伯克霍尔德氏菌、假单胞菌和肠杆菌科。这些物种被认为是发展新的HPC保护策略的重点。拟议的博士学位将研究优先细菌污染物中防腐剂作用方式和耐药性背后的机制。这些知识将为工业制造商提供解决方案，以改善hpc保存和防止进一步的抗菌素耐药性的发展。该项目将具体：1；使用分子和基因组技术来了解防腐剂和多功能成分如何抑制或杀死细菌，以及工业污染物如何抵抗这些重要的抗菌剂。2. 使用分子方法监测和识别导致生产事故的优先污染物，包括PCR，全基因组测序和工业产品的整个DNA含量测序（宏基因组分析）。3. 了解大型质粒（称为巨型质粒）如何特别帮助优先污染物在HPC产品中富含微生物的条件下存活

Each year, millions of tonnes of home and personal care (HPC) products, including cleaning products, cosmetics andtoiletries are manufacturer globally. To keep these products free from microorganisms, industrial manufacturers addantimicrobial preservatives. However, products occasionally become contaminated with microorganisms, the mostcommon of which are antimicrobial resistant bacteria which can also cause human infections. The HPC industry is undergoing considerable change, needing to reduce the use of environmentally toxic preservatives,consumer pressure to use natural and milder but less effective preservatives, and the urgent requirement to reducesingle-use plastic packaging. The changes are conducive to increased HPC product contamination, and a potential rise inantimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria causing outbreaks of infection. We have teamed up with Unilever Research & Development (Port Sunlight, UK) to offer a CASE PhD studentship aimedat filling multiple knowledge gaps in relation to the use of preservatives and new multifunctional product ingredients.Past collaborative PhD training between Cardiff University and Unilever has investigated a range of problematicantimicrobial resistant bacteria including Burkholderia, Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae. These species areconsidered priorities in relation to the development of new HPC preservation strategies. The proposed PhD will examine the mechanisms behind preservative mode of action and resistance in the prioritybacterial contaminants. This knowledge will provide industrial manufacturers with solutions to improve HPCpreservation and preventing the development of further antimicrobial resistance.The project will specifically: 1. Use molecular and genomic techniques to understand how preservatives and multifunctional ingredients work tosuppress or kill bacteria, as well as how the industrial contaminant resist these important antimicrobials. 2. Monitor and identify priority contaminants causing manufacturing incidents using molecular methods including PCR,whole genome sequencing and sequencing the entire DNA content of the industrial products(metagenomic analysis). 3. Understand how large plasmids (called megaplasmids) specifically help priority contaminants survive the harshantimicrobial-rich conditions in HPC products