Fully Funded PhD Positions in Microbiome, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Wildlife Ecology (2026) University of Exeter in United Kingdom

The Wild Microbiome Lab at the University of Exeter, led by Associate Professor Xav Harrison, is recruiting multiple fully funded PhD students for 2026. The lab focuses on how microbes shape the health of animal hosts, with a particular emphasis on the interaction between host microbiomes and pathogens in wildlife. Research areas include microbiome-disease interactions, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dynamics, and the role of wildlife in the spread of pathogens and AMR.

Four distinct PhD projects are available: (1) Microbiome-Disease Interactions in European Badgers, supervised by Xav Harrison and Barbara Tschirrren, based at Exeter and APHA collaborators; (2) AMR Dynamics in Wild Baboons, supervised by Ines Fürtbauer, Andrew King, and Neeltje Boogert, based at Swansea University and Exeter, with fieldwork in South Africa; (3) AMR Dynamics in Gamebirds in the UK, supervised by Barbara Tschirrren and Irene Bueno Padilla (Bristol); and (4) Migratory Birds as Vectors of AMR, supervised by Xav Harrison and Stu Bearhop, involving meta-analysis and fieldwork in Iceland.

All positions are fully funded by the BBSRC SWBIO DTP, covering stipend, tuition, and research costs. Applicants should have strong backgrounds in biology, ecology, or related fields, with experience in fieldwork, quantitative skills, and molecular approaches. Projects may require mathematical modelling, meta-analysis, or advanced statistical tools. International students are welcome to apply, and no age limit is specified.

To apply, candidates should review project details on the lab website, contact supervisors for more information, and submit applications via the BBSRC SWBIO DTP portal by December 3, 2024. The lab offers a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with opportunities for fieldwork in Cornwall, South Africa, Iceland, and across the UK. Research keywords include microbiome, antimicrobial resistance, wildlife ecology, disease ecology, One Health, molecular ecology, and quantitative analysis.