Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents a critical global health threat, with Acinetobacter baumannii being a key pathogen due to its multidrug resistance. With no new antibiotic classes discovered since the 1980s, novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed. This thesis explores the potential of targeting the cysteine biosynthesis pathway, specifically the enzyme serine acetyltransferase (CysE), as a means to develop innovative antimicrobial strategies. Cysteine plays a pivotal role in bacterial survival and defense, particularly in oxidative stress resistance. Targeting its biosynthesis may impair bacterial virulence and enhance susceptibility to immune responses. This research focuses on the characterization of CysE from A. baumannii, which uniquely expresses a short and full-length of this enzyme. While we were unable to optimize expression of the short form in this thesis, the long form was successfully expressed, purified, and biochemically and structurally characterized for the first time. Using X-ray crystallography, we present the three-dimensional structure of CysE from A. baumannii to a resolution of 2.14 Å. CysE adopts a homohexameric conformation, forming a dimer of trimers, and features an alpha-helical extension. SAXS analysis validated that the long form exists as a homohexamer in solution. Furthermore, using enzymatic assays we show CysE has serine acetyltransferase activity and is sensitive to feedback inhibition by pathway product L-cysteine, highlighting the regulatory mechanisms of this crucial enzyme. This work improves our understanding of cysteine biosynthesis in A. baumannii and provides a model for structure-based virtual inhibitor screening to identify potential new antimicrobials. In addition to its scientific objectives, this research is framed within the Fa'afaletui framework, an Indigenous Samoan methodology that ensures cultural perspectives are integrated into the scientific process. This approach ensures that Pacific values inform the direction of AMR research, fostering solutions that are not only scientifically rigorous but are also culturally relevant and accessible. The research serves to address the health inequities faced by Pacific peoples, particularly in relation to infectious diseases and AMR, and provides a foundation for future antimicrobial drug development efforts.