In order to tackle growing levels of antimicrobial resistance, the challenge set for the Longitude Prize is to create a cost-effective, accurate, rapid and easy-to-use test for bacterial infections that will allow health professionals worldwide to administer the right antibiotics at the right time.
The infection community was delighted when the public voted antibiotics for the £10 million prize fund and the Longitude Committee is currently receiving proposals from all stakeholders – from amateur scientists to the professional scientific community – for ideas on how to try and solve it.
Nesta and the Longitude Committee will consider all suggestions received and will work to finalise the criteria for how to win the £10 million prize. The formal call for entries will be announced early autumn 2014.