🎓 CENTA / NERC DTP PhD Studentship, The Open University
THE CENTRAL ENGLAND NERC TRAINING ALLIANCE (CENTA)
🔬 Research Focus
- Study how azole‑based fungicides (widely used in agriculture) may drive antifungal resistance in environmental fungi like Aspergillus fumigatus.
- Identify the minimal selective concentration (MSC): the lowest fungicide concentration in compost that enriches resistant fungal strains.
- Investigate bioavailability of fungicides during different stages of compost decay — because how much is “free” vs bound affects selection pressure.
- Define environmental “hotspots”: places (e.g., composting sites) where resistance emergence is most likely.
- Translate the findings into sustainable practices for composting and agriculture to limit selection for resistance, protecting both environmental and human health.
🏛️ Partners & Impact
- Host Institution: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)
- Supervisors:
- Isobel Stanton, UKCEH
- Andrew Singer (UKCEH)
- Ian Martin (Environment Agency)
- Matthew Fisher (Imperial College London)
- Policy & Regulatory Relevance: Environment Agency is co‑supervisor, enabling translation of insights into guidance or regulation.
🧪 Methods & Training
- Lab-based experiments: competition assays between resistant and susceptible strains.
- Use of liquid media and artificial compost to simulate selection under different bioavailability conditions.
- Work with both single fungal strains and mixed environmental communities.
- Techniques: classical microbiology (culturing), molecular biology (PCR, sequencing), bioinformatics, and statistical analysis.
- Training via CENTA Training Credits (CTCs) for professional development.
🎯 Why This PhD Matters
- Fills a crucial gap: fungal AMR is under-studied compared to bacterial resistance. Environmental fungicide use might be a major driver.
- Direct human health relevance: A. fumigatus from compost can infect immunocompromised people, and resistance could undermine treatment.
- Supports environmental sustainability by guiding better composting practices and fungicide use to reduce AMR risk.
- Embedded in CENTA, giving access to strong training, cross-institutional collaboration, and a multidisciplinary network.
For more information and to apply, please visit: 2026-UKCEH03 Are fungicide residues in compost increasing AMR in environmental, opportunistic fungi? – CENTA
Applications must be submitted by 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 7th January 2026.