Understanding the environmental and human health risk posed by pathogenic fungi in the environment

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that poses a serious global health threat. First identified in 2009, C. auris has now spread to over 30 countries across 6 continents, including the UK. Outbreaks in healthcare settings show transmission efficiency and high mortality rates up to 60%. With antifungal resistance and persistence in the environment, C. auris represents a high-risk pathogen requiring urgent research and public health interventions worldwide.

Traditional wastewater treatment is inefficient at removing pathogenic fungi which are shed at high levels by infected individuals. This contaminated water is then released into the environment where people can come into contact with it via wild swimming and other recreational activities. Climate change and storm events has also led to increasing amounts of untreated fungal pathogens being released into waterways. Predicting the fate and behaviour of these fungi in the environment therefore represents a major challenge for public health agencies.

This interdisciplinary PhD tackles this fungal pathogen challenge using the Conwy River (Wales) as a ‘Living Lab’. This site was chosen as it has well known pollution problems and is also the focus for other PhD students working on similar topics in the field of microbiological pollution. You will therefore be working as part of a wider team investigating this ecosystem. The Conwy River offers an ideal model system to study inputs, transport and impacts of pathogenic microbes while allowing collaborative opportunities with other researchers addressing complementary research questions in the same geographic area.

The expertise and training included in the PhD includes genomics, microbiology, wastewater analysis, modelling, and science communication. As such, you will obtain proficiency in bioinformatics, qPCR, laboratory methods, modelling software, scientific writing, and stakeholder engagement. Collaborators include public health agencies, water companies, and policymakers.

This timely PhD therefore applies interdisciplinary approaches to an internationally important One Health challenge at the water-health nexus. With pathogenesis expected to increase due to climate change and antimicrobial resistance, your findings will have direct policy impacts to promote sustainable development goals for clean water, resilient communities, and environmental justice.

Come revolutionize environmental risk assessment and epidemiology alongside diverse partners! Intellectually stimulating, societally urgent, globally relevant.

The student stipend is £19,237 per annum, with all fees and other costs covered.

Natural Environment Research Council funded RED ALERT Centre for Doctoral Training will provide training in water-based early warning systems for environmental and public health protection focused around 4 UK and 3 international Living Labs aimed to provide the in-depth knowledge and enable a step-change in managing environmental and public health.

Fungal pathogens, Public health, Disease surveillance, Wastewater-based epidemiology, Environmental modelling, Molecular biology.

A BSc (1st or 2.1) or MSc in public health, biomedical science, medicine, microbiology, biology, and/or a related environmental science (essential).

Prior experience in undertaking a research project and statistical analysis (essential).

Prior expertise in microbiology (desirable).

For international students: Proficient in English

(speaking and writing; Bangor University requires an IELTS score of 6.5.

https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/future/englishlanguage) (essential).

This project is co-sponsored by Dŵr Cymru / Welsh Water, and is one of several projects that will be based in the Conwy Catchment “Living Lab” as part of the RED-ALERT Centre of Doctoral Training

To apply visit our online application portal: https://apps.bangor.ac.uk/apply/account/login/