MissJenny Lawrence

I am a 3rd year PhD researcher at Imperial College London working within the National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat with serious socioeconomic implications but AMR can be reduced by prescribing antimicrobials more appropriately; specifically, using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties (PK/PD) of antimicrobials and improving antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). My work under the supervision of Dr Timothy Rawson, Prof Danny O' Hare and Prof Alison Holmes focuses on developing improved diagnostics for AST to facilitate precision prescribing. I aim to develop and investigate how new and emerging technologies, alongside pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) properties can be incorporated into routine AST.

My research focuses on two key areas; extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) quantification and the development of a point of care device to model antimicrobial concentration-time profiles, thus mimicking individual pharmacokinetic profiles. Both of these areas fill existing knowledge gaps and could become a vital part of improved AST.