PhD Studentship: Antimicrobial Resistance in a Global One Health Context: Understanding Links Between Animals and Humans

Bacterial foodborne disease represents a huge financial and public health burden; it is estimated that there are 2.4 million cases of foodborne disease in the UK each year, at an estimated cost of £9 billion. Salmonella enterica is one of the major bacterial pathogens, costing the UK economy £212 million per year. Two of the most important reservoirs of human infection with Salmonella are poultry and pigs via the food chain. The UK is a net importer of food, and Brazil is a major global player in the production of animal protein, being the world’s third largest producer of chickens and the largest exporter of chicken meat, and the world’s fourth largest producer of pigs. The increasing importance of agriculture to the Brazilian economy and the growing demand for animal protein has resulted in massive intensification in Brazilian animal production, with attendant increasing use of antimicrobial drugs. This selection pressure for AMR in bacteria of relevance for human health not only has importance for consumers and the economy in Brazil, but also in the UK and other importing countries. Previous studies have reported the presence of Salmonella enterica on chicken meat being imported into the UK and EU from Brazil (1). Our previous work (2), working with collaborators at the University of São Paulo, the UK Health Security Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, identified that the main types of Salmonella in Brazilian chicken carried plasmids with a combination of specific genes conferring resistance to different classes of antimicrobials: sulphonamides, tetracyclines and beta lactams. This likely gave these types of Salmonella a competitive advantage in the poultry production environment in Brazil, where antimicrobial usage is high.

Antimicrobial use is also high in pig production in Brazil, but less is known about the potential impacts this has on both pathogens and bystander bacteria in pig guts there, and the attendant risks to human health. This studentship will examine the drivers and evolutionary factors influencing AMR in Brazil in pigs and examine a wider set of bacterial species, including Salmonella, E. coli and other bacterial pathogens identified through metagenome sequencing. The Salmonella and AMR from pigs in Brazil will be compared to publicly available data on Salmonella and AMR in humans in Brazil (through Enterobase) and in the UK (through the UKHSA), as an example of an importing country. This will build on our established and productive collaboration with Professor Andrea Micke Moreno at the University of São Paulo (USP), with whom we hold a BBSRC International Partnering Award, offering travel and training opportunities in Brazil.

For information on eligibility and how to apply: http://www.uea.ac.uk/phd/mmbdtp

Entry requirements

At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (MED/SCI equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). 

Mode of study: Full-time

Start date: 1 October 2026

Additional Funding Information

This project is awarded with a 4-year fully-funded studentship including direct payment of tuition fees to the University, stipend for living expenses (2025/26 rate: £20,780) and a Research Training Support Grant for each year of the studentship.

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