PhD Studentship - From Catchment to Coast: eDNA Surveillance of Eukaryotic Parasites in Aquatic Environments

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is transforming biodiversity monitoring, but its potential to reveal the hidden distribution of eukaryotic parasites remains largely untapped. This project will develop and validate eDNA as a new, scalable surveillance tool for parasites affecting human, animal and ecosystem health. It will address three fundamental questions: which parasites can be reliably detected and quantified from environmental samples; which sampling and molecular approaches maximise sensitivity and repeatability; and which environmental processes drive parasite distributions across catchment-to-coast systems?

Using Cornwall as a natural laboratory for developing transferable monitoring approaches, the student will develop and optimise qPCR/ddPCR and next-generation sequencing approaches, experimentally compare conventional water filtration with integrative MetaProbe sampling, and undertake replicated spatial and seasonal freshwater, estuarine and marine surveillance. Environmental modelling will identify drivers including temperature, rainfall, land use and wastewater influence, and establish when eDNA abundance permits quantitative inference.

The student will actively co-design the project, selecting focal parasites from key eukaryotic parasites including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Toxoplasma, Anisakis and Pseudoterranova, and selective among sampling locations, methodological comparisons and One Health questions to pursue. Results will determine subsequent sampling and experiments, supported by regular supervision, research planning and one-to-one coaching in scientific reasoning, writing and publication.

Training will span molecular biology, eDNA assay development, sequencing, bioinformatics and fieldwork in the Hayward laboratory; advanced quantitative modelling with Professor Mario Recker; and marine-eDNA training during a research visit with world-leading eDNA expert Professor Stefano Mariani. Annual placements with CASE partner Trace Biomonitoring will provide an industrial dimension, with hands-on experience in commercial eDNA workflows, QA/QC, scalable sampling, reporting and translation into operational environmental monitoring, ensuring methods are developed from the outset for scientific robustness, scalability and real-world adoption. Collectively, these complementary environments will train the student across molecular innovation and ecological discovery to quantitative analysis and development of real-world environmental solutions.

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