NERC CASE 3.5 year studentship - Impact of sediment/water interactions on the microbiological quality of shellfish and bathing waters, a regulatory and public health perspective

This Studentship will be based at The European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School (UEMS), located at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the Tremough Campus (near Falmouth). The project will be jointly supervised by Dr Will Gaze (Exeter) and Mr. Adrian Caldwell (AWS).

It is estimated that up to 1.75 million cases of gastrointestinal infections per year in the UK are caused by exposure to contaminated bathing waters and 94 outbreaks of confirmed food poisoning resulted from shellfish consumption between 1992-2009. Infections and illness are caused by a variety of bacterial, viral pathogens and algal toxins. Current catchment models focus upon apportionment of microbial sources with loading and decay factors determining receiving water quality. Little consideration is currently given to in-situ processes and resuspension of microbial load from the estuarine microbial sink – particularly in relation to storm events. We hypothesise that storm events and sediment/water interactions in the coastal zone impact human exposure risks to microbial pathogens such as E. coli and norovirus. This project will generate data on the role of water/sediment interactions on human exposure to key pathogens, the role of sediments in protecting organisms from UV irradiation and on selective uptake and differential persistence of pathogens by shellfish. These data will be used to improve understanding of pathogen dynamics in coastal systems and to produce investigative tools such as the use of sediments as a faecal source indicator which could be included in the provision of a hazard analysis and critical control points toolkit for shellfish operators and bathing water managers. A combination of fieldwork, experimental microcosms and laboratory analysis will be undertaken. The focus of research activities will shift between Exeter University, AWS and the National Laboratory Service (NLS), Starcross laboratory over the project giving experience in field measurements, data processing and analysis, microbial source tracking and microcosm experiments to elucidate microbial and sediment interactions.

The student will receive training in classical and molecular microbiology, and will form part of a research group studying pathogen ecology, experimental evolution, horizontal gene transfer and selection for antibiotic resistance in farmed and polluted natural environments. The project gives opportunities to work and collaborate with scientists at The University of Exeter Medical School, the Royal Cornwall Hospital, the Environment and Sustainability Institute, the Centre for Evolution and Conservation and scientists at AWS and the NLS. The European Centre for Environment and Human Health presents unique opportunities to work at the interface of medical and environmental science.

Closing date for applications: 3rd June 2013 Start date: 1st October 2013

To apply online please visit: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/studentships/application/
and upload the following:
- CV
- Covering letter (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project).
- Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)