Antibiotic resistance is one of the major societal challenges of this moment.  In order to control (antibiotic resistant) bacterial infections, both in animals and humans, there is an urgent need for the development of novel control strategies,. To this end, we need a deeper understanding of the ecology of bacterial pathogens, including the elucidation of interactions between pathogens and other microbes (both interspecies and intraspecies interactions) and between pathogens and their host. Based on a better understanding of these interactions, novel microbial management strategies can be developed. These strategies can aim at managing the presence and/or activity of the pathogens.