Fixed-term

Details This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the Red-ALERT CDT, awarded by Cardiff University , and hosted and lead supervised from UKCEH, for entry in September 2026. Overview of the Research: This exciting and collaborative PhD project will apply cutting-edge molecular techniques to explore the potential contribution of untreated wastewater to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) organisms and key human pathogens in rivers. AMR is a major global public health threat, with bacterial resistance alone estimated to have caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Aquatic ecosystems increasingly act as reservoirs for resistant microbes, resistance genes, and pathogenic organisms, exacerbating the spread and impact of AMR. The PhD project will be hosted at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), Wallingford, in collaboration with Cardiff University, and our project partners Welsh Government, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, and UKHSA. Wastewater treatment plants (WwTPs) play a vital role in mitigating pollution from human activities and protecting both environmental and public health. However, untreated wastewater can still enter rivers through combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and misconnections to drainage infrastructure. The influence of these inputs on the prevalence and spread of AMR and pathogens in rivers remains poorly characterised. To understand the dynamics of AMR and pathogen dissemination from wastewater into receiving environments, this PhD will employ advanced molecular methods in a catchment-based approach within the Taff and Ely catchments. By integrating advanced omics technologies, including metagenomic sequencing, with field-based sampling and water quality monitoring, the project will generate critical insights into how releases of untreated sewage and misconnections influence water quality, and resistance gene and pathogen distribution and abundance. The findings will inform evidence-based strategies to mitigate the risks associated with waterborne AMR and pathogens, contributing to improved management of wastewater systems and enhanced protection of environmental and human health. Training: The student will gain comprehensive training in molecular approaches (DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing library prep/data processing), experimental design, catchment-scale analysis, data visualisation, statistics, scientific writing, and presenting. The student will also participate in opportunities at host and partner organisations and will benefit from the broader Red-ALERT CDT training programme. Welsh Government and DCWW will provide CASE partnership, including co-supervision, policy and technical support and guidance, access to sites for in situ sampling, and an opportunity for a placement. UKHSA will provide support and guidance in subject matter expertise and policy relevance.  Interdisciplinarity: The supervisory team combines experts from academia and industry, spanning water quality and environmental pollution, genomics, and microbial community ecology and ecosystem health. Addressing the complex interactions between untreated wastewater and the spread of AMR and pathogens in rivers requires a broad analytical perspective, drawing on complementary scientific approaches. Project Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), pathogens, wastewater, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) Industrial Partner: Dŵr Cymru, Welsh Water and Welsh Government Candidate Requirements: Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second-Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in a relevant subject e.g. biology, molecular or microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, etc. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement. Enquiries and Applications: Formal applications should be submitted via the Red-ALERT CDT online application form prior to the closing date of this advert. Funding Notes Candidates may be considered for a NERC Red-ALERT studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend (£21,805 p/a in 2026/7) and access to a training support budget.

Details This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the Red-ALERT CDT, hosted by Cardiff University for entry in September 2026. Overview of the Research: Detection of viruses in water and wastewater using DNA/RNA methods is well-established, and since the COVID-19 pandemic has been the focus of a much-increased global research effort related to (waste)water-based epidemiology (WBE).  These studies have focused particularly on molecular detection of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, RSV and norovirus, but often lack information on virus infectivity. Current methods for detection of the virion (i.e. the infectious virus particle) detection methods are neither rapid nor sensitive. This project explores using nanodiamond-coated quartz microfiber membranes to concentrate virions from water samples and nanobody biosensors (carbon nanotubules with capsid-specific antibodies). The overall project aims are: (1) to enhance speed and sensitivity in detecting specific viruses, focusing on noroviruses for which nanobodies have already been developed, and (2) to assess the potential of this approach for real-time, rapid, and highly sensitive virus detection in water and wastewater. Extraction and concentration of viruses using nanodiamond technology and the nanoscale sensor have already been described by our group (for underlying concepts see Bland et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.1c00439; Huang et al., 2025, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025- 63192-w; Ahmed et al., 2025, https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01573-4). In this project these approaches will be developed to capture/detect active norovirus (specific nanobodies already constructed) in freshwater brackish water and wastewater. This virus has a large societal cost across the world, estimated at $65 billion, including ~US$5 billion in direct healthcare costs. In the UK alone, norovirus is the largest contributor (£1.7 billion) to the ~£9 billion cost burden of foodborne illnesses. Thus, early detection of norovirus will prevent major outbreaks. The sensitivity and speed of detection using this new approach will be compared with conventional molecular detection, e.g. by qPCR/sequencing approaches, already well established by the supervisory team at Cardiff and Bangor Universities. Training Provided: The project will provide extensive training in molecular and environmental microbiology/virology, biochemistry and aspects of ecology relevant to WBE/One Health. The student will have access to extensive laboratory and associated (e.g. high-performance computing) facilities in the Cardiff University-School-of-Biosciences. S/he will join the School’s PGR community in the Organisms & Environment-Division and the Microbiomes, Microbes & Bioinformatics Research Group, with full access to the School’s Technology Hubs. Interdisciplinarity: The project is highly interdisciplinary, involving supervisors based in the Schools of Biosciences (environmental microbiology/biochemistry), Physics (applied nanodiamond technologies) and Water Research-Institute (multidisciplinary) at Cardiff, and the School of Environmental & Natural Sciences at Bangor. In addition, the project will benefit from expert support of R&D and operations scientists at Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water. Industrial Partner: Dŵr Cymru, Welsh Water Candidate Requirements: Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second-Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in a relevant subject – e.g. biomedical engineering, electronic engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, etc. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive Centre, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement. Enquiries and Applications: Formal applications should be submitted via the Red-ALERT CDT online application form prior to the closing date of this advert. Funding Notes Candidates may be considered for a NERC Red-ALERT studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend (£21,805 p/a in 2026/7) and access to a training support budget.

Details This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the Red-ALERT CDT, hosted by Cardiff University for entry in September 2026. Overview of the Research: This project focusses on the role of fungi in freshwater systems, investigating nutrient dynamics and biogeochemical processes using real-time water quality monitoring approaches. The project will assess fungal diversity, fluorescence parameters, and nutrient drivers, via leveraging existing sensor networks on the Dart, living labs in the Taff and Ely, and established Thames catchment monitoring sites. In addition, lab-based microcosm experiments will explore fungal carbon processing and identify fluorescence indicators of ecosystem function. Ultimately, the industrial collaboration will help produce scalable, real-time monitoring solutions, to enhance spatial and temporal resolution of water quality data, contributing to improved freshwater management. Training: The successful candidate for the project will receive training in fieldwork; environmental sensing; mycology; freshwater ecology; fluorescence measurements; DNA barcoding; bioinformatics and statistical modelling. They will additionally benefit from joining the Cardiff Fungal Ecology lab group and receive training in skills such as literature searching, presentations, project management, etc. Interdisciplinarity: This project brings together topics in microbiology; ecology; biogeochemistry; engineering and statistics. Working at the interface of these disciplines is essential to understand the role of freshwater fungi and develop the technology needed to monitor them. Project Keywords: fungi; freshwater ecology; real-time monitoring; biogeochemistry; bioinformatics Industrial Partner: Chelsea Technologies Candidate Requirements: Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second-Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in a relevant subject e.g. biology and environmental science. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive Centre, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement. Enquiries and Applications: Formal applications should be submitted via the Red-ALERT CDT online application form prior to the closing date of this advert. Funding Notes Candidates may be considered for a NERC Red-ALERT studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend (£21,805 p/a in 2026/7) and access to a training support budget.