Avian viromics and anthropogenic effects in Berthelot's pipit

Viruses represent the majority of new pathogens that impact humans. Their emergence is often precipitated by close interaction between humans and wild animal populations, excacerbated by certain anthropogenic activities. Songbirds are often closely associated with humans but almost nothing is known about their virome despite the fact that they can carry pathogens that are transmissible to humans, their pets and livestock. Understanding the factors that elevate songbird virome diversity and transmission is important to human health and commerce, and also the health and persistence of wild animal populations.

Modern molecular methods, including metagenomic sequencing, now provide the tools to screen viruses in non-model organisms. Studies show that apparently healthy wild animal populations can carry an extensive virome, but generally only describe it without evaluating the factors that affect its composition. Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii) exists in 14 populations across the Macaronesian archipelago. It occupies islands, and areas therein, that vary extensively in the type and intensity of humans activity present (e.g. urbanisation, poultry farming, agriculture - all predicted to influence the virome).

In this exciting project -which combines fieldwork, cutting-edge molecular tools, bioinformatics and important concepts- you will characterising the pipit virome. Then by assessing virome variation within and among diverging island populations you will investigate how host-virus coevolution and key anthropogenic activities impact virome dynamics. This will enable better understanding of the human-songbird viral interface and the potential for zoonosis.

You will be based at UEA (David S Richardson, Sarah Worsley) but also work at the Quadram institute (Evelien Adriaenssens) both on the Norwich Research Park. These are world-leading centres of excellence whose focus includes evolutionary biology, wildlife disease, genomics and host-microbe interactions. You will receive excellent interdisciplinary training (including field and lab work, genomics, bioinformatics and analysis) and career development from the thriving Norwich Biosciences Doctoral training partnership