PhD Studentship: Assessing microplastics as drivers of antimicrobial resistance selection and spread in wastewater systems. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2026 Entry

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP).  The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners:  British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,  the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.  The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/

For eligible successful applicants, the studentships comprises:

• An stipend for 3.5 years (currently £20,780 p.a. for 2026/27) in line with UK Research and Innovation rates
• Payment of university tuition fees
• The budget for project costs is £9,000 which can be used for computer, lab, and fieldwork costs necessary for you to conduct your research.
• There is also a conference budget of £2,000 and individual Training Budget of £1,000 for specialist training

Project Aims and Methods

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat and environmental issue attracting significant research, industry and policy attention. Microplastics, persistent and ubiquitous environmental contaminants, can support the growth of bacterial communities and AMR. Wastewater environments are particularly important as they contain microplastics, resistant pathogens and antibiotics that may select for AMR. However, the role of microplastics in the persistence, selection and transmission of AMR is poorly understood.   

We encourage the researcher to shape the research as it progresses, but preliminary research questions include:   

Do antibiotics sorb to and accumulate on microplastics, increasing AMR selective pressures?  

Do microplastic polymers differ in their ability to support growth of resistant pathogens?   

Can microplastics ‘shelter’ resistant pathogens, facilitating their survival and transmission through wastewater systems, and beyond?  

Can this knowledge be used to inform wastewater treatment processes, and risk management?  

The Doctoral Researcher will receive interdisciplinary training across microbiology (culture-based and molecular, e.g., next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics), evolutionary biology, chemistry (e.g., LC-MS), and microplastic characterisation (e.g., FTIR spectroscopy). They will be supervised by internationally recognised researchers with strong policy and industry links, and a track record of collaboration. We are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive environment that supports collaboration and development of independent researchers. 

CASE Partner 

Wessex Water will offer the Doctoral Researcher a placement, in-kind costs to cover co-supervision, in-kind contributions in the form of access to data and an understanding from other aligned research programmes delivered by Wessex Water. 

Useful recruitment links:  

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via: a.k.murray@exeter.ac.uk

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