QMRA methods for environmental antimicrobial resistance management

About this project

Improve our understanding of antimicrobial resistance

If you are ready to launch your career in the environment & water industry and motivated to tackle pressing global issues around antimicrobial resistance, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD within the Future Industries Institute (FII), in partnership with the South Australian Environment Protection Authority, SA Health, Vic-EPA, Vic-Health, Hort Innovation and Melbourne Water.

Our innovative project aims to tackle the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. Our goal is to develop new methods to assess and manage risks associated with antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) and pathogens in water, soil, and agricultural settings. 

By adapting advanced epidemiological and risk assessment models, we will identify critical control points for AMR in key ecological niches such as wastewater, biosolids, soils and composts. The outcomes will provide water utilities, environmental regulators, and health agencies with practical tools to set evidence-based targets for AMR control, ensuring safer environments and healthier communities. 

Our project will bridge the gap between science and policy, fostering collaboration across sectors to address one of the most pressing public health threats of our time.

You will be immersed in a vibrant and multidisciplinary research environment at the FII and be co-located with the CRC for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food and Environments (CRC-SAAFE). This environment provides you with access to cutting-edge work in environmental microbiology, water quality management, and AMR modelling. 

You will work alongside a dynamic team of experienced researchers, including professors, postdoctoral fellows, and PhD candidates specialising in microbial risk assessment, environmental health, epidemiology, and molecular biology. This diverse team fosters a collaborative atmosphere, enabling you to benefit from a wide range of expertise and perspectives.

There are also opportunities to collaborate with other research groups and units within the University and external partners, including water utilities, environmental protection agencies, and health departments, providing real-world context and application for the research.

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will engage in a range of activities designed to advance your research skills and contribute to the overall objectives of the project. These activities will involve both desktop-based risk modelling research and broader stakeholder engagement, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded research experience. 

You will undertake a literature review and gap analysis on AMR, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA), and epidemiological modelling (SEIRS). 

You will also develop QMRA models to incorporate AMR determinants (i.e.., antibiotic-resistant genes as mobile genetic elements and within vector microorganisms and the chemical stressors that influence horizontal gene transfer) in various environmental matrices, such as wastewater, biosolids, soils and compost, and use epidemiological modelling techniques (SEIRS) to predict AMR trends over time under different management scenarios.

We will guide you in holding stakeholder workshops to gather insights from end users, including water utilities, environmental agencies, and health departments, to inform model development and validation.
With real-world data, you will then undertake model validation and scenario testing with stakeholders to validate the QMRA models and refine them based on feedback and new evidence. 

You will also test different AMR management scenarios to identify effective interventions and determine the log reductions required at critical control points to maintain health risks at acceptable levels.

Expected outputs include peer reviewed publications and conference papers. There will also be opportunities to attend national and international conferences to present research findings, network with peers, and engage with the wider research community.

You may also need to undertake short-term placements with key end-user organisations. These placements will provide practical experience and insights into the application of research findings in industry settings.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based in FII. We partner with industry and the professions to deliver innovation and technological advances to solve real world challenges. With research strengths across 5 sectors that cross disciplines from biomaterials engineering to minerals processing, FII creates local and global impact. Our research degree students partner with industry and end-users to develop their skills and relevant career experience and our state-of-the-art facilities support research growth and expertise. We work with SME’s via the Institute’s Testlab and provide R&D services that support industry challenges which is part of our $80million of infrastructure that consists specialised laboratories and equipment. Financial Support

This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $35,200 per annum (2025 rate) is available to eligible applicants. An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $15,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant. Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants will be eligible to receive an increased stipend rate of $50,291 per annum. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
 
Eligibility and Selection

This project is open to applications from both Domestic and International applicants. 

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Applicants who can also demonstrate the following will be highly regarded: 

• Experience in use of R or Python coding 
• Experience in modelling ecological processes

All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project.

The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.

Essential Dates

Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close on Sunday 8 December 2024.