Burning Questions
Fellowship Award Winners

Keeve Nachman, Brent F. Kim, Aimee Bourey

Location: U.S.
Academic field: Environmental health (Nachman); Public health (Kim); Environmental health (Bourey)
Award category: PhD Team

1. Provide estimated magnitude and composition of antibiotics used for production of food consumed in LMICs, including per capita and population-wide estimates by country, and contributions of specific commodities such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp.
2. Identify country-specific “hot spots” where policy and behavioral interventions could have the greatest impact in reducing medically important antibiotic use, including addressing key drivers (e.g. particular commodities or export markets), dietary shifts, and changes in production practices.
3. Clarify antibiotic “footprint” attributable to domestic production vs. imports, the shares of in- country use attributable to domestic consumption vs. exports, and other trade-related considerations that could inform policy and behavioral interventions.
4. Explain potential co-benefits of reducing antibiotic use that would mitigate climate change, as industrial animal agriculture gives rise to both antibiotic resistance and climate change.

• Antibiotics resistance is a global threat to human health, and industrial animal agriculture is contributing significantly to the development of this resistance. Some NGOs fighting factory farming are using antibiotic resistance in their campaigns. But they do not always have the best data, and they need to understand the nuances of this complex issue. For example, it matters whether the animals given antibiotics are to be consumed domestically in Country X or exported to Countries A, B, and C. The applicant will provide reliable data and explain nuances.
• The team has an excellent track record not only of researching the topics to be covered, but in communicating their research findings.