Threats to One Health from global spread of cardiopulmonary nematodes under climate change

OVERVIEW

Lungworms in the genus Angiostrongylus are linked to emerging diseases in animals and humans, including through pneumonia, bleeding disorders and meningitis. This project will combine advanced modelling and molecular biology methods to understand how climate change is altering transmission pathways and contributing to global parasite spread and One Health impacts.

Angiostrongylus lungworms cause disease in animals (e.g. A. vasorum in carnivores, causing verminous pneumonia and bleeding disorders) and humans (e.g. A. cantonensis, the rat lungworm, causing zoonotic eosinophilic meningitis). The life cycles are complex, involving a wide range of gastropod mollusc intermediate hosts, which are linked to the final hosts through trophic networks. The behaviour of the hosts in relation to climate is likely to modify direct effects of climate on parasite development, and drive non-linearity in responses to climate change. This project will explore the role of climate change in the global emergence of angiostrongylosis, and develop tools to enable prediction and tracking of infection dynamics in complex ecological systems. Methods used will include climate-driven models of transmission potential, to map predicted global climatic suitability; experiments on captive colonies of major gastropod intermediate host species to elucidate climate response norms in transmission-relevant behaviours; and molecular biology including in situ sequencing to track infection in complex trophic networks, with field data collection from Europe, southern Africa and South-East Asia. Insights will be applied under climate change scenarios to predict how distribution and infection risk will change under future conditions, including through intermediate host behaviour and trophic relationships.

Research Information

PhD Supervisors
Information on the research interests and activities of academics in Biological Sciences can be accessed via the School website and the Find a Supervisor facility.

Career Prospects

Introduction
Queen’s postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as the DegreePlus/Future Ready Award, bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. Career prospects in the biological sciences are exceptionally good. To some extent it depends on the specific topic, of course, but laboratory-based and especially quantitative skills and the proven innovation of a PhD or MPhil are highly sought after. Degrees are very much in demand, both in commercial science and public sector research and development (e.g. drug discovery and development, crop and animal improvements and welfare, sustainable agriculture and resource use, human nutrition and health, animal health, ecological management, food safety and technology, scientific communications, regulation, and many more fields).

Employment after the Course
Graduates have gone on to be professional research scientists, consultants, or hold technical and junior executive positions in commerce and government.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Graduate
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant subject from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen’s University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen’s University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

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