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ARCS examines the intersections of antimicrobial resistance, conflict, and insecurity. The project generates evidence and analytical tools to understand how geopolitical dynamics shape resistance patterns, informing policies that protect health systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
ARCS (Antimicrobial Resistance in Complex Settings) ispioneering a transdisciplinary One Health approach to understand and address biological threats by developing a cutting-edge Early Warning System (EWS) for antimicrobial resistance.
Bridging science, policy, and security, ARCS brings togetherexperts from biomedical, environmental, social, and intelligence domains todetect and respond to emerging AMR threats in fragile and high-uncertainty settings. By fusing data across human, animal, plant, and ecological health and piloting solutions in the UK, Iraq, and Ukraine, ARCS positions the UK as a global leader in AMR health intelligence and biosecurity innovation.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat that thrives in complex and fragile settings where disrupted health systems, environmental degradation, and social instability intersect. Traditional public health tools are not equipped to detect or address the multifaceted drivers of AMR in these contexts. ARCS (Antimicrobial Resistance in Complex Settings) responds to this urgent challenge by advancing a pioneering One Health approach—recognising that human, animal, plant, and environmental health are deeply interconnected, particularly in zones of conflict, migration, climate stress, and informal systems.
ARCS builds a robust, co-created Early Warning System (EWS) to monitor and respond to AMR threats where surveillance is weakest and risks are highest. By integrating biological science with data analytics, security intelligence, social science, and policy expertise, ARCS offers a new model for understanding and managing AMR in fragile settings. It addresses the full ecosystem of resistance emergence—from livestock and water contamination to healthcare collapse and misinformation—through transdisciplinary collaboration.
Piloting the ARCS EWS in the UK, Iraq, and Ukraine, the project demonstrates how One Health can be applied operationally in both high- and low-resource environments. It supports decision-making across national and international partners including UKHSA, APHA, FCDO, and WHO, contributing directly to the UK Biosecurity Strategy and international AMR Action Plans.
Through its innovative use of One Health in real-world fragile settings, ARCS not only improves AMR threat detection and response, but also redefines how we design early warning systems for future biological risks.