Presenter: Kyle Gontjes, PhD Candidate in Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School

The discovery of antibiotics revolutionized how we treat bacterial infections. Unfortunately, bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics, rendering these drugs less effective and increasing mortality rates. To reduce the global burden of antibiotic resistance, we must better understand what drives the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this talk, Kyle Gontjes explains how leveraging patient data and whole-genome sequencing of bacteria can yield insights into how resistance emerges and spreads across healthcare networks, which can be used to improve clinical and public health practice.