Supervisors

Lead Supervisor: Dr Diego Panici, University of Exeter, Department of Geography

Co-Supervisors: 

Professor Peter Vickerman, University of Bristol, Department of Medicine

Dr Josephine Walker, University of Bristol, Department of Medicine

Dr Zoe Ward, University of Bristol, Department of Medicine

The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP is offering up to 21 funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2025.

These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UK Research Councils, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.

About the GW4 BioMed2 Doctoral Training Partnership

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead) and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities, with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and 'team science'. The DTP already has over 90 studentships over 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 58 students over 3 cohorts in its second phase.

The 120 projects available for application, are aligned to the following themes;

• Infection, Immunity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Repair

• Neuroscience and Mental Health

• Population Health Sciences

 

Applications open on 10th September 2024 and close at 5.00pm on 4th November 2024.

Studentships will be 4 years full time.  Part time study is also available.

Project Information

Research Theme: Population Health Sciences

Summary: Waterborne zoonotic diseases, such as Cryptosporidium, E.coli, and Leptospira are a serious threat to drinking water safety, especially in rural, farm-dominated lands. Nature-based solutions (NbS) in hydrology and landscape management are highly effective in improving catchment water quality (by reducing agrochemical loads) and enhancing biodiversity. However, benefits of NbS in preventing waterborne zoonotic disease have been largely unexplored. This PhD, will utilise hydro-epidemiological modelling and spatial data analysis to investigate how NbS can effectively prevent and mitigate waterborne zoonoses outbreaks at multiple spatial scales, and will inform management and prevention of public health agencies and water companies.

Project Description:

Waterborne zoonotic diseases pose a significant threat to public health, particularly in rural and agricultural regions. Pathogens are often released through runoff from manure and slurry heaps, contaminating water streams and affecting wildlife, recreational activities, and water supplies. Incidents in water distribution networks can also result in contaminated runoff causing severe consequences. Identifying and eradicating some waterborne zoonoses is challenging. For instance, Cryptosporidium, which recently caused an outbreak in Devon appearing in the news, is highly resistant to chlorine disinfection and persists in water environments. E.coli can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, and Leptospira bacteria, shed in the urine of infected animals, can lead to severe kidney damage, liver failure, and respiratory distress, especially in areas with heavy rainfall or flooding. These pathogens can spread through water, affecting distant populations. Addressing this issue involves identifying potential sources of pathogens and preventing or mitigating outbreaks at the source. Nature-based solutions (NbS) in hydrology and landscape management have emerged over the last decade as effective strategies to improve water quality in areas affected by high concentrations of agrochemicals. NbS store water in the landscape, slow the flow in streams and hillslopes, reduce sediment erosion, and encourage natural processes such as groundwater infiltration and natural filtering. An example is the Upstream Thinking programme in South-West England (developed since 2010 by the University of Exeter/CREWW and South West Water), where NbS reduce both point and diffuse pollution from agriculture. Hydrological NbS include wetland restoration, which acts as natural filters trapping sediments and pollutants, riparian buffer zones that reduce runoffs and sediment transport, and sustainable agricultural practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and controlled grazing. While NbS are documented for improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity, their effectiveness in preventing and mitigating waterborne zoonotic disease outbreaks remains largely unexplored. This PhD project aims to investigate how NbS can be leveraged to manage waterborne zoonoses, and will be achieved through advanced hydro-epidemiological modelling and spatial data analysis.

Key Research Question: How can nature-based solutions effectively prevent and mitigate waterborne zoonotic disease outbreaks at multiple spatial scales?

Objectives:
O1 – Systematic review of the scientific literature. Identify key zoonotic pathogens (or groups of pathogens) that originate in rural and farmdominated lands. Review bio-hydrological mechanisms on how these waterborne zoonotic diseases originate, travel, and spread in water systems. Evaluate the physical processes of NbS improving water quality and their applicability to controlling waterborne pathogens.

O2 – Develop a conceptual framework for NbS application linking hydrological NbS with the prevention and mitigation of waterborne zoonotic diseases. Utilise geospatial analysis of land cover/land use, hydrological patterns, potential (or history) of disease outbreaks, and location and type of NbS.

O3 – Develop a hydro-epidemiological model. Create an integrated modelling framework combining hydrological/hydraulic models with epidemiological models to evaluates development and spread of pathogens in terms of risk of infection. To this end approaches such as quantitative microbial risk assessment or compartmental modelling of pathogen or parasite development and spread to hosts will be incorporated. Include NbS by utilising modelling analogues and perform comprehensive scenario analysis, including varying levels of NbS implementation (e.g., extent of wetland restoration, geospatial distribution of NbS) and different environmental conditions (e.g., drought vs. normal rainfall years). The model will consider sensitivity and uncertainty estimation using methods, such as Monte Carlo. The PhD aims to develop a novel, open-source integrated model based on existing codes (e.g., TOPMODEL, SWAT+, or LISFLOOD).

O4 – Risk assessment and evaluation analysis. Perform risk assessment to map potential hotspots for waterborne zoonotic diseases and prioritise areas for NbS implementation. Use GIS-based risk mapping and modelling results for implementation planning and back-tracking outbreaks. Evaluate cost-benefit and feasibility for various NbS scenarios to inform decision-making by water companies, environmental authorities, and landowners.

The PhD will be able to use the examples and existing data from South West England (although transferrable to other rural and farm-dominated regions) with proof-of-concepts applications to this area of study, leveraging the supervisors’ decadal partnership with project partners (Environment Agency, UKHSA , South West Water) and extensive data availability. The research will also explore whether NbS can reduce the burden on water companies by improving water quality and mitigating the spread of pathogens, potentially reducing the need for intensive water treatment processes. The PhD researcher will take ownership and steer the project in the following areas: Framework Development (O1 and O2): Explore innovative approaches to integrate NbS with hydro-epidemiological concepts, contributing to new theoretical insights.

Model Customisation (O3): Choose and refine the most appropriate modelling approach, customising it to suit specific study areas or types of NbS. Scenario Analysis (O3 and O4): Design and test various NbS implementation scenarios, tailoring them to different environmental contexts and stakeholder needs. Stakeholder Collaboration (O3 and O4): Engage with stakeholders (Environment Agency, South West Water), shaping practical recommendations based on real-world feedback and requirements.

Funding

This studentship is funded through GW4BioMed2 MRC Doctoral Training Partnership. It consists of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£19,237 p.a. for 2024/25, updated each year).

Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is also available.

Eligibility

Residency:

The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP studentships are available to UK and International applicants. Following Brexit, the UKRI now classifies EU students as international unless they have rights under the EU Settlement Scheme. The GW4 partners have agreed to cover the difference in costs between home and international tuition fees. This means that international candidates will not be expected to cover this cost and will be fully funded but need to be aware that they will be required to cover the cost of their student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.  All studentships will be competitively awarded and there is a limit to the number of International students that we can accept into our programme (up to 30% cap across our partners per annum).

Academic criteria:

Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences.  Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

English requirements:

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the details in the following web page for further information https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/englishlanguagerequirements/

Data Protection

If you are applying for a place on a collaborative programme of doctoral training provided by Cardiff University and other universities, research organisations and/or partners please be aware that your personal data will be used and disclosed for the purposes set out below.

Your personal data will always be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations of 2018. Cardiff University (“University”) will remain a data controller for the personal data it holds, and other universities, research organisations and/or partners (“HEIs”) may also become data controllers for the relevant personal data they receive as a result of their participation in the collaborative programme of doctoral training (“Programme”).

Further Information

For an overview of the MRC GW4 BioMed programme please see the website www.gw4biomed.ac.uk

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences. Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information.  This will be at least 6.5 in IELTS or an acceptable equivalent.  Please refer to the English Language requirements web page for further information.

How to apply

A list of all the projects and how to apply is available on the DTP’s website at gw4biomed.ac.uk.  You may apply for up to 2 projects and submit one application per candidate only.

Please complete an application to the GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP for an ‘offer of funding’.  If successful, you will also need to make an application for an 'offer to study' to your chosen institution.

Please complete the online application form linked from our website by 5.00pm on Monday, 4th November 2024.  If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be notified from Friday, 20th December 2024.  Interviews will be held virtually on 23rd and 24th January 2025.

Further Information

For informal enquiries, please contact GW4BioMed@cardiff.ac.uk

For project related queries, please contact the respective supervisors listed on the project descriptions on our website.

Summary