OHAMR Call for proposals 2026

General Information

• Project title: Combination Therapies Enhanced with Cellular and Cell-Free Biotherapeutics for Bovine Mastitis and the Reduction of Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance Burden (COMABURE)
• Type: Project looking for partner
• Organisation: NOX Biotech
• Country: Turkey (TR)
• Career stage: Early Career Researcher (up to 8 years** since PhD).

Research area

• Scientific area(s) of the call:
  1. Topic 1: Identify and develop new combination treatments using existing or innovative antimicrobials or antimicrobial with adjunctive treatments to extend drug efficacy and combat resistance.
• One Health Setting:
  A - Animal Health

• Keywords:

  Combination Therapy Bovine Mastitis Antimicrobial Resistance Adjunct Biological Treatments PK/PD Optimization

• Brief description of your expertise / expertise you are looking for:

  NOX BIOTECH is a veterinary biotechnology R&D company dedicated to developing next-generation, evidence-based solutions for dairy udder health, with a clear focus on innovative mastitis therapeutics that can reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics and support One Health AMR priorities. We combine field-based veterinary expertise with translational biotechnology to move promising biological approaches from controlled research settings towards practical, scalable and adoption-ready interventions for the dairy industry. Our team has substantial hands-on experience in designing and conducting translational studies on advanced biologic therapies for bovine mastitis, including both cellular and cell-free approaches administered via intramammary routes. Across our previous work, we have observed improvements consistent with better udder health—reflected by key performance indicators such as somatic cell count (SCC), milk yield and composition—supported by complementary molecular, immunological and microbiological assessments. Expertise we are looking for (partners): • AMR microbiology & antimicrobial combination development (synergy testing, time–kill, checkerboard, biofilm assays) • PK/PD modelling and optimization for intramammary regimens (dose/duration, administration mode) • Genomics/resistome capabilities (WGS, metagenomics, AMR gene dynamics) and quantitative modelling of resistance evolution • Strong expertise on mastitis pathogens (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis/agalactiae, E. coli, Klebsiella) and clinically relevant endpoints • Environmental microbiology and agronomy for the One Health work package, including design of manure–soil–plant experiments (crop selection, soil and rhizosphere sampling, greenhouse/field trials) and analytical capacity to monitor antimicrobial residues and AMR determinants along the manure–soil–plant continuum

• Brief description of your project / the project you would like to join:

  We aim to develop and validate a combination treatment strategy for bovine mastitis in which a conventional antimicrobial is paired with a non-antimicrobial adjunct based on cellular and cell-free approaches. The core hypothesis is that such adjuncts can enhance treatment response (e.g. improved bacteriological cure, reduced inflammation, improved tissue recovery) and reduce selection pressure for resistance by enabling lower antimicrobial doses, shorter treatment courses and/or improved targeting at the site of infection. In line with a One Health perspective, the project will not only address udder-level outcomes, but will also trace how treatment choices may influence the dissemination and persistence of antimicrobial residues and resistance determinants in manure, soil and crop systems. The project will integrate: • In vitro/in vivo combination testing against well-justified mastitis pathogens (including biofilm-focused assays where relevant) • Mechanism-informed rationale (host-response modulation, improved clearance, infection-site targeting) • AMR outcomes (MIC shifts, resistance gene dynamics/resistome, recurrence) alongside clinical/production outcomes (SCC, milk yield, cure rates) • Optimization of regimen (PK/PD and mode of administration) to align with Topic 1 expectations on improving combination treatments • A dedicated One Health–oriented work package in which manure produced from the faeces of treated animals is used to fertilize selected crops and subsequently analysed to determine the transfer and persistence of antimicrobial residues and resistance determinants in soil–plant systems Within the scope of the EUP OHAMR 2026 OH-TREAT Call, specifically under Topic 1: Developing new combination therapies using combinations of existing or innovative antimicrobials or antimicrobials with adjunct therapies, we aim to either form a joint consortium or join an existing one. We seek to complement our expertise in udder health, intramammary administration, and translational mastitis models with the specialized knowledge of partners leading in AMR genomics, PK/PD, and antimicrobial combination development, as well as partners with strong experience in environmental fate of antimicrobials, manure management, and plant uptake of residues/resistance genes who can support the manure–crop component of the project.

Durmus Hatipoglu

• Organisation: NOX Biotech
• Position: Associate Professor & Scientific Lead, NOX Biotech
• E-mail: drhatip@selcuk.edu.tr
• Web: www.noxbiotech.com