Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage: Using One Health data to predict antimicrobial use and resistance over time

Background:

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as one of the foremost One Health challenges today. The use of veterinary medicines, particularly within the agricultural sector, has been scrutinized due to its role in the selection of AMR, impacting both human and animal health. Currently, in human health, overviews of AMR both temporally and spatially can be conceived, which are helpful to physicians in determining treatment modalities, although no such system exists in veterinary medicine. As political pressure mounts to reform and reduce antimicrobial use (AMU) to combat AMR, there is an urgent need for reliable methods to collect and analyze data on AMU and AMR in the agricultural sector. To address this gap, we are developing a UK-wide surveillance system and research data platform to record medicines use, disease prevalence, and AMR in livestock. Our platform also includes substantial data on AMR and antibiotic susceptibility in both human and animal commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli, with datasets spanning thousands of isolates from longitudinal studies, complete with whole genome sequencing of these isolates. Working with a number of partners, we also have access to large datasets of livestock AMU over a number of concurrent years.

Aims and Objectives:

The primary aim of this studentship is to harness extensive existing datasets from both human and animal health to understand AMR trends at the point of data collection and to predict future resistance rates and AMU. Specific objectives include:

1.   Leveraging data from human and animal health to analyze AMR and AMU over time.

2.   Developing predictive models for AMR using generalised additive models and advanced deep-learning methods to examine trends at multiple timescales.

3.   Establishing the basis of a sustainable surveillance strategy through data modeling to inform future AMU and AMR mitigation efforts.

Methods:

This project will be primarily based on synthesizing information from existing datasets on AMR and AMU, as well as incorporating information from additional data types, such as bacterial genomics. These data types will be the input for generalised additive models as well as a cutting-edge time-series forecasting deep-learning models. Multi-scale deep learning approaches will be used to capture trends across varying timescales, advancing our capacity for AMR prediction on both the micro- and macro-scales. The student will gain interdisciplinary skills by applying machine learning and bioinformatics techniques to data-driven models. The student would also be encouraged to understand existing surveillance strategies, and AMR/AMU mitigation efforts, as well as developments in public and animal health policies, and to consider how their projects might either align with or directly inform these efforts.

Key References:

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.01468-20

https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1136/vr.104701

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771421000100

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.23298025v3

Supervisors:

·    Prof. Kristen Reyher (Epidemiology, Veterinary AMR and AMU)

·    Prof. Andrew Dowsey (Machine Learning and Data Science)

·    Dr. Sion Bayliss (Genomic Bioinformatics, Public Health Microbiology)

University of Bristol Scholarship – How to apply

You can submit an application via the University of Bristol application portal: Start your application nearmejobs.eu Study at Bristol nearmejobs.eu University of Bristol. Select the programme “Veterinary Science (PhD) (4yr)” and see the available start dates. Select ‘Sept 2025’ to begin your application.

In the funding section of the application form, please indicate “University of Bristol Scholarship – Black Heritage”.

In the research section please enter the project title of the scholarship you are applying for along with the supervisor’s name. You can upload a blank document instead of the research statement, which is not needed.

If you want to apply for more than one Bristol Veterinary School project you will need to select a different start date for your second/third application(s) – this is so the applications system can accept multiple applications. The start date can easily be amended by the university if you are made an offer.

We will also be running a pre-application online workshop and Q&A session on how to prepare a PhD application on 5^th December 2024 04:00 PM GMT; if you would like to register for this workshop then please sign up here.

We are keen to support applicants from minority and under-represented backgrounds (based on protected characteristics) and those who have experienced other challenges or disadvantages. We encourage you to use your personal statement to ensure we can take these factors into account.

Candidate requirements: Standard University of Bristol eligibility rules apply. Please visit PhD Veterinary Sciences nearmejobs.eu Study at Bristol nearmejobs.eu University of Bristol for more information.

The application deadline is 4pm Monday 6th January 2025.

Bristol PGR scholarships for applicants of Black heritage

As part of our commitment to the Black community, the University of Bristol has launched a number of PGR research scholarships exclusively for students of Black heritage for 2024/25 entry. These are open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage.The scholarships aim to address the under-representation of black people in postgraduate research and support our work to improve representation across all levels of study and academia.

We have a wide range of support networks, student societies and community groups for students of Black heritage. These include our Be More Empowered for Success PGR Programme which aims to influence positive change across the themes of access, belonging and empowerment. This year, we are also taking part in the Women’s Higher Education Network 100 Black Women Professors NOW Pipeline Programme, which aims to propel the careers of Black PhD students, through coaching, development, networking and mentoring. WHEN also work with senior leadership to deliver systemic change. We are looking to continue to enhance this support as we continue to strive to make our student communities more inclusive.

If you have any questions on the scheme, you are welcome to contact Professor Stephanie King (stephanie.king@bristol.ac.uk) and Professor Tom Gaunt (Tom.Gaunt@bristol.ac.uk), our Faculty Postgraduate Education Directors for Health and Life Sciences.

Contacts: please contact fohs-pgadmissions@bristol.ac.uk with any queries about your application.

Please contact s.bayliss@bristol.ac.uk for project-related queries in the first instance.