Novel influenza A viruses that cross species barriers pose a persistent threat to global health. This interdisciplinary project will explore the risk of zoonotic transmission from wild birds, focusing on how human immune history and bird–human interactions shape that risk. This project offers a unique opportunity to gain interdisciplinary One Health training in infectious disease research, including mathematical modelling, lab work and field work to reconstruct influenza infection histories, map contact networks, and co-develop communication strategies with stakeholders.

Overall Aim
To develop an interdisciplinary One Health framework for assessing and communicating spillover risk of avian influenza from wild birds.

Key Research Question
What is the role of wild birds in spillover risk of avian influenza?

Training Environment and Support
The student will join a vibrant interdisciplinary network, including experts in ornithology, virology, immunology, infectious disease modelling, behavioural science, and public health. Key collaborators include the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Institut Pasteur. The student will benefit from integration into the Health Protection Research Unit in Evaluation and Behavioural Science (NIHR HPRU EBS). The project will provide interdisciplinary training in infectious disease research and contribute meaningfully to public health preparedness for avian influenza outbreaks.

Lead supervisor: Dr Amy Thomas, University of Bristol, Bristol Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (Wellcome Trust Early Career Research Fellow in Zoonotic Disease Epidemiology)
Co-supervisor 1: Dr Neeltje Boogert, University of Exeter (Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour & Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy)
Co-supervisor 2: Prof Ellen Brooks-Pollock, University of Bristol, Bristol Medical School (Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling) & HPRU in Evaluation Behavioural Sciences
Co-supervisor 3: Dr Louise Smith, UKHSA (Behavioural Science Team Leader) & HPRU in Evaluation Behavioural Sciences
Co-supervisor 4: Dr Michael White, Institut Pasteur (Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Analytics Team Leader)

Applications Open: 1st September 2025
Applications Closed: Monday 20th October 2025, 5pm BST
Funded through the GW4 BioMed MRC Doctoral Training Partnership.

Please don't hesitate to get in contact to discuss the project and/or any questions you may have - Amy Thomas - amyc.thomas@bristol.ac.uk