Project Summary:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmission from human and animal wastes to the environment
Graduate students involved in this project will be hosted by the University of Surrey, in Guildford, England. Students will work with an interdisciplinary team based in the Centre for Environmental Health and Engineering in the School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Human and animal wastes (sewage and farm manure) contain pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes that can disseminate in the environment. The AMR transmission and accumulation in the water and soil environments put risks to human and animal health through direct and indirect contact, e.g., water and food contamination and consumption. Engineering treatment systems (e.g., wastewater treatment, manure anaerobic digestion) may help to reduce the AMR level before the treated water/solid streams are spread into the environment, but the transmission and risk level need better understanding. There are two areas of studying AMR dissemination: human waste (sewage) to the river, and farm manure to the soil. Students will work with an interdisciplinary group in environmental engineering, microbiology, soil and food science, modelling and bioinformatics. Several potential research projects are available.
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Risk assessment model of AMR from farm to fork (desk-based).
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AMR profile in sewage treatment processes using metagenomics and bioinformatics tools (desk-based).
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Quantification of antimicrobial resistance genes and transfer rates under different nutrient conditions (lab-based).
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Catchment scale analysis of AMR in water environment (field and lab-based).
