7 August 2006
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| Dr Li will travel to Toronto later this year to present his paper on the antibiotic colistin. |
A young researcher who is investigating the use of the antibiotic colistin in treating 'superbug' infections has been awarded an International Young Investigator Travel Award by the Infectious Disease Society of America.
Dr Jian Li, a Senior Research Scientist in the Victorian College of Pharmacy at Monash University, will use the award to travel to Canada to present his paper 'Colistin is back, is resistance close?' at the 44th Annual Meeting of the society in Toronto later this year.
The travel award is granted to the top 10 international young researchers whose Infectious Disease Society of America conference papers represent outstanding work.
Although use of the antibiotic colistin was abandoned in the 1970s, it is now used increasingly as the last-line antibiotic against bacteria -- so-called 'superbugs' - that are resistant to virtually all other antibiotics.
Dr Li's paper will present recent research findings from the Facility for Anti-infective Drug Development and Innovation (FADDI).
Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the FADDI team, led by Professor Roger Nation, has been exploring the best way to administer colistin to patients -- to cure the infections caused by these superbugs and avoid development of bacterial resistance to this last-line antibiotic.
"I am very excited to receive the award as it acknowledges the international significance of our colistin research," Dr Li said.
With an attendance of more than 5000 people, the IDSA conference provides opportunities to have research reviewed by colleagues and leaders in the field of infectious diseases.
For information contact Dr Jian Li on 9903 9702 or Ms Diane Squires, Media Communications, on 9905 9315 or 0417 603 400.
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