ARTDTP Antimicrobial Resistance and Therapeutic Discovery Training Program

Welcome to the Antimicrobial Resistance and Therapeutic Discovery Training Program

I bid you a warm welcome to the website for Emory's NIH-funded training grant (TG), Antimicrobial Resistance and Therapeutic Discovery Training Program (ARTDTP). ARTDTP supports graduate students in the biomedical and biosciences enrolled in the Laney Graduate School of Emory University who conduct basic research dealing with mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and therapeutic discovery to combat infectious diseases. Our program provides comprehensive educational and research opportunities to PhD students enrolled in programs of the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS) and the Department of Chemistry. ARTDTP is supported by NIH funding though NIAID award T32 AI106699 (years 6-10, 2020 to 2025).

The development of ARTDTP was driven by the global health challenge of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the critical need for new antimicrobials to combat infectious diseases. Students with primary interests in biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, pharmacology or synthetic chemistry are encouraged to participate in ARTDTP and may receive up to two years of stipend support and funds for supplies and travel. Our mentoring team of faculty have designed a curriculum and organized other educational opportunities tailored to meet the needs of ARTDTP trainees. Please explore our website to learn more about research opportunities in the areas of antimicrobial resistance and therapeutic discovery provided by our faculty mentors as well as the educational experiences available through ARTDTP. Please feel free to contact me contact me should you need additional information regarding ARTDTP.

William M. Shafer, PhD
ARTDTP Director

About Dr. Shafer: William Shafer received his PhD degree in Microbiology from Kansas State University in 1979 where he studied the genetics of enterotoxin synthesis by Staphylococcus aureus. After postdoctoral studies with P.F. Sparling at the University of North Carolina where he studied the genetics of antibiotic resistance expressed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, he moved to Emory University School of Medicine where he is now Full Professor. He is also a Senior Research Career Scientist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. He has been continually funded by the NIH and VA since 1984, has published over 115 manuscripts, serves on multiple Editorial Boards and served on several NIH, VA and international study sections.

Emory's Commitment to Anti-Infective Research and Training

Emory’s commitment to drug discovery is emphasized by the recent formation of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory, LLC (DRIVE), which is a not-for-profit company separate from, but wholly owned by Emory. The purpose of DRIVE is to expand the capabilities of traditional academic drug research by combining the expertise of Emory scientists with a development, business and management team of industry leaders. Through an initial ten million dollar commitment from Emory, DRIVE will provide the financial, business, project management and regulatory expertise to effectively move drugs through lead optimization and pre-clinical testing into proof-of-concept clinical trials.

An additional important recent development at Emory with respect to drug discovery and infectious diseases is in the area of international collaboration. Thus, the Queensland Emory Development (QED) Alliance, which includes Emory University, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) and the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia, was established and this collaboration will significantly help ARTDTP perform its mission of training graduate students. The QED Alliance will identify collaborative research opportunities in infectious diseases aimed at advancing drug discoveries to the marketplace. Moreover, an agreement to facilitate an academic exchange program for faculty and students will enrich our overall training environment and provide unique opportunities for our graduate student trainees as they pursue their studies in antimicrobial resistance and therapeutic drug discovery. Taken together, Emory University provides a rich intellectual environment for drug discovery and is in a unique position to train graduate students in anti-infective research which is essential for the nation’s response to the increasing health emergency imposed by drug-resistant pathogens.

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