Evaluating the health risks of zoonotic diseases in agricultural run-off: implications for human and animal well-being in the context of climate change
Supervisors:
Dr Michael Ormsby, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine & School of Infection & Immunity
Prof Donal Wall, School of Infection & Immunity
Summary:
This PhD project explores how climate change affects the persistence, evolution, and spread of zoonotic bacterial pathogens, focusing on Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and Salmonella Typhimurium in agricultural settings. These pathogens, which often carry antimicrobial resistance (AMR), pose significant risks to both human and animal health. Climate change, coupled with urbanisation and agricultural intensification, is increasing interactions between humans, animals, and pathogens. Extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall, lead to more frequent agricultural runoff and sewage overflows, releasing pathogens and pollutants including plastics and organic waste into the environment, which can facilitate pathogen spread.
Using advanced climate simulation technologies, this project will examine how pathogens persist on agricultural materials and how climate-driven stressors impact their virulence, genetic adaptation, and genetic exchange. The aim is to understand how these changes could lead to the emergence of more virulent or resistant strains, increasing public health risks.
The research will inform strategies to reduce zoonotic disease transmission in agriculture, contributing to global efforts to combat AMR and improve food system sustainability. The candidate will receive training in environmental microbiology, genomics, and bioinformatics, gaining expertise in field sampling, laboratory techniques, and complex data analysis for realworld applications in global health and food security.