Dr Linda Oyama | Public engagement | Queen's University Belfast

Dr Linda Oyama

Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences

TEDx Talk Title – ‘Beakers, Bytes, and Bedtimes: The Future of AMR Research and the Science of Care’

This talk celebrates the hope embodied in young people and early-career researchers as they confront one of the world’s most pressing but often invisible challenges, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - when medicine no longer work against microbes or bugs as they are commonly referred to. Framing AMR as both a visible and invisible war, Dr Linda Oyama invites us to see it not only as a scientific problem but also as a societal one that requires empathy, creativity, and collaboration. Through the lens of early-career researchers, she explores what it means to juggle beakers, growing families, and bytes of data in a world increasingly shaped by technology. She argues that the future of science, and indeed AMR research depends on equipping this generation with not only technical skills but also care for themselves, for others, and for the planet. Blending science, personal reflection, and storytelling, Linda challenges us to imagine a world where curiosity and compassion exist together as powerful tools for change.

About the Speaker

Dr Linda Boniface Oyama is a Senior Lecturer in Microbiomics, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and One Health at Queen’s University Belfast. She founded the AMR & One Health Lab in 2022, and in just three years has grown it into a thriving team of doctoral researchers, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators working across human, animal, and environmental health.

As both a researcher and mentor, Linda is passionate about creating a supportive environment for early-career researchers (ECRs) while leading ambitious interdisciplinary projects that drive practical AMR solutions. She also coordinates the UKRI-funded Futures AMR Network, which connects ECRs with researchers, policymakers, and industry partners and empowers them to build collective capacity in tackling antimicrobial resistance. Through her work, she advocates for responsible antimicrobial use, evidence-based policy, and a more connected One Health approach to global health challenges.