From resistant isolate to candidate compound: a hands-on workshop on characterising antimicrobial resistance and evaluating new antibacterial agents in low-resource laboratories

Event Description

This two-day, hands-on workshop focuses on the characterisation of antimicrobial-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and the evaluation of potential antibacterial agents. Through practical laboratory sessions, participants will explore phenotypic and molecular resistance detection, quality assurance, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance. Using the same clinical isolates throughout the course, participants will assess candidate antibacterial agents, including natural products, through susceptibility testing, antibiofilm assays, and an experimental model for evaluating toxicity and efficacy.

Intended audience

This course is designed for laboratory scientists, clinical microbiologists, doctoral students, and early-career researchers from francophone West Africa and neighbouring regions working in clinical bacteriology, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, or antibacterial discovery.

Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Perform and interpret phenotypic tests for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemases production in Gram-negative bacteria.
• Apply molecular methods to confirm key antimicrobial resistance determinants prevalent in West Africa.
• Implement basic laboratory quality assurance procedures and contribute reliable data to national AMR surveillance programmes in resource-limited settings.
• Design standardised screening strategies to evaluate candidate antibacterial agents, including natural-product extracts.
• Determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC), and perform antibiofilm assays using appropriate controls and validation methods.
• Critically interpret antibacterial activity results, recognise their limitations, and report findings according to scientific publication standards.

Course coordinator

Kossi Brice Boris Legba, Benin

Organisers

ESCMID, University of Abomey-Calavi

Accreditation

ESCMID office will apply for EACCME accreditation. 
Each participant can only receive the number of credits according to actual participation in the event and upon completion of the feedback survey.

Certification

Course organisers will monitor attendance. Participants are required to attend at least 70% of live sessions to be eligible to receive a certificate.

Course Venue

Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi (EPAC) 
University of Abomey-Calavi - teaching and research laboratories of URMAPha
01 BP 2009 Cotonou, Benin

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the registration.

Registration details

Registration fees include full access to the course, coffee breaks and lunches described in the programme. Travel costs and accommodation are not included with either fee.

Do not miss the opportunity to update your knowledge with an extensive network of experts in the field, and register now!
 

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