About us

Our transdisciplinary OneZoo Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) will equip the next generation of world-leading scientists with the skills and insight necessary to tackle current and future zoonotic threats.

Our aim is to design successful, innovative environmental prevention and control strategies, as zoonotic drivers need to be understood through an integrated systems approach. Our students will build an in-depth understanding of the connectivity between key drivers of pathogen host shifts, spillover and onward transmission; exploring pathogen, environmental and human societal processes that can promote zoonotic disease and form the basis of integrated solutions.

All projects must demonstrate a strong environmental component and should address at least one of these three key challenges in identifying environmental drivers of, and solutions to, infectious diseases:

  1. Disease Preparedness: detection, environmental monitoring (novel sampling approaches; innovative technologies/diagnostics), horizon scanning and risk assessment;
  2. Disease Transmission: pathways and connectivity of drivers of infection, disease emergence and spread (the effects of anthropogenic and environmental change, evolution, human and animal movement patterns, socioeconomic and political drivers);
  3. Disease Control: integrated solutions for sustainable management and mitigation of zoonoses (environmental, socio-political and therapeutic barriers to transmission, including changing habitat, landuse and animal practices).

Our award-winning educators and experts in zoonotic diseases and environmental sciences, from Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, Queen’s University Belfast, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, will work collectively, fostering creation of the CDT research community. Click here to meet the Team overseeing the OneZoo CDT

This CDT offers an unprecedented level of diversity and transdisciplinarity. Our pool of > 170 supervisors span disciplines from Anthropology to Zoology (A-Z) and offers both breadth and depth of knowledge in environmental, veterinary, biomedical, humanities and human clinical research to provide holistic training. Our diverse range of external partners (from NGOs to governmental bodies) will provide the students with real world knowledge through bespoke training programmes and opportunities to undertake placements with one or more partners to complement their academic training. More information regarding our partners can be found here.

Cohort 1 started in October 2023 with 20 students. We anticipate similar numbers of students in Cohort 2 (2024 start) and Cohort 3 (2025 start). Click here to meet our 1st cohort of students.

 

Do you have a suitable project proposal for the OneZoo CDT? Find out more information about submitting a project proposal here.

Interested in joining us as a PhD student? Find out more information here. 

Find out our latest news here and make sure to follow us on social media @OneZooCDT