Fully Funded PhD Studentship: Behaviour, Physiology, and Ecology of Antimicrobial Resistance in Wild Baboons Swansea University in United Kingdom

[Fully funded studentship with £19,237 stipend per year, plus a £16,000 Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG) and a £1,920 fieldwork budget.]

This fully funded PhD studentship at Swansea University offers an exciting opportunity to investigate the behaviour, physiology, and ecology of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in wild baboons. The project addresses the growing concern of AMR transmission at the human–wildlife interface, a critical issue affecting both animal and public health. By focusing on chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in South Africa, the research aims to unravel how baboon behaviour, social relationships, and health status influence exposure to and transmission of AMR in human-modified landscapes.

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary supervisory team with expertise in behavioural ecology, endocrinology, microbial ecology, social behaviour, and animal cognition. The project will employ state-of-the-art tracking collars (GPS and accelerometers) to collect high-resolution data on baboon movement, social networks, and space use. Non-invasive sampling of urine and faeces will be used to assess energetic and health status, while faecal and environmental samples will provide microbiology and genomics data. The research will also consider individual-level factors such as age, sex, and dominance rank.

Fieldwork will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Cape Town and Swansea Research Fellows, providing the student with the opportunity to work on established wild baboon populations. The project is part of a larger research programme and offers unique training in advanced field and laboratory techniques, analytical approaches, and professional development within supportive and productive research groups.

The studentship is fully funded, offering a £19,237 annual stipend, a £16,000 Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG), and a £1,920 fieldwork budget. The SWBio DTP is committed to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and can accommodate flexible working and part-time study requests where needed.

Applicants should have a strong academic background in biology, ecology, zoology, or a related field, with experience in fieldwork, animal behaviour, microbiology, or genomics considered advantageous. The application deadline is 3 December 2025. For more information and to apply, visit the official Swansea University scholarship page.