Pioneering centre receives £4 million boost

A pioneering centre which studies bacteriophages to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria has received a major boost thanks to a £4 million donation. 

It follows warnings from the World Health Organisation that antibiotics are becoming less effective at treating bacterial infection. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing global public health threat already killing around 5 million people every year and set to increase without urgent action.

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Although widely studied and utilized in countries like Georgia, phages have faced limited funding and slow adoption in the UK due to their complex biology. The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Report identified phages as a pivotal emerging technology, highlighting their potential as a key alternative to traditional antibiotics.

Entrepreneur Jimmy Mayer’s extraordinary £4 million gift aims to help revolutionize the Centre for Phage Research, elevating it to a global hub of innovation. 

Mr Mayer’s donation follows the death of his wife, Becky, last year. The couple, both supporters of the University had championed the work of the Centre, led by co-directors Professor Martha Clokie and Dr Andrew Millard.

Now, in memory of his late wife, the centre will be renamed The Becky Mayer Centre for Phage Research. 

Speaking about the donation, Mr Mayer said he was excited for the future of phage research.

“This is a wonderful project and my greatest reward will be to see it come to fruition and contribute to humanity,” he said.

Since its inception in 2023, the centre has already achieved remarkable milestones:

• Launched the UK’s First Phage Biobank: A comprehensive repository of diverse phages and genome data to support researchers worldwide.

• Targeted breakthroughs: Identification of phages to combat challenging bacterial infections, including those causing urinary tract, lung, and bone diseases.

With this transformative funding, the centre will:

• Expand its biobank with a wider diversity of phages.

• Invest in cutting-edge equipment and grow its team of researchers.

• Advance promising phages to pre-clinical trials, paving the way for their use in human medicine.

Professor Clokie said: “We are so touched by this hugely generous donation which will enable us to progress our research to develop effective phages for humans and the agricultural world. Antibiotic resistance continues to grow and this work is vital for the wider development of phages where needed and for the benefit of all.

“Becky was really excited about our work and its potential so we’re delighted to rename the centre in her honour.” 

Experts from the centre have provided evidence to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee Inquiry on the potential for phages to be used in medicine and to the Government’s UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance which now specifically names phages as alternatives.

Key to translating phages is to ensure they are appropriately regulated for efficacy and safety, and to facilitate this the team is working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to develop a set of phage standards, a critical step towards mainstream adoption.

Leicester’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, said: “We are hugely grateful to Mr Mayer for his generous gift. His investment will allow the pioneering work taking place at the phage centre to expand so that Martha, Andrew, and colleagues can continue their world-changing research in this vastly important area. It is a true testament to the transformative power of philanthropy.”