Resistance to drugs in bacteria can be aquired by swapping genes between individual bacteria. Computer programs developed by Dr Iqbal enable doctors to predict which antibiotics will be met with drug resistance, enabling the selection of the right drug. BIOINFORMATICS & PATHOGEN GENOMICS

Dr Zamin Iqbal studies the DNA of bacteria and parasites, and compares the genomes of individual pathogens to track the spread of antibiotic resistance. Pathogens accumulate small genetic changes over time, and by tracking these changes, it is possible to map the spread of an infection. This enables better surveillance of pathogen evolution, within a host, within a hospital and across the world. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/