OXFORD University is part of a new collaboration to map disease and death caused by superbugs.

The Global Burden of Disease AMR project will gather and publish data on the impact of drug-resistant infections globally.

For the first time scientists will then be able to map disease and death caused by these bugs, which will help to target them in the future.

Professor Gil McVean, director of the Big Data Institute at the university said: “Big Data approaches can play a key role in mapping and understanding the critical and growing problem of drug resistant infection at a global scale.

“We are excited to be able to bring our expertise in data engineering, analytical innovation and software development to help meet the challenge.”

The partnership between IHME and the university, will be supported by a number of donors, including the Fleming Fund, a British government initiative created to improve and support research into drug-resistant infectious diseases through a ‘One Health’ approach.

Associate Professor Direk Limmathurotsakul from the university added: “The Oxford Tropical Network has long established international research units and will be key partners in evaluating the impact of AMR on health in LMICs together with their policy makers.”