Research Project: Modelling the fate of wastewater-derived human pathogenic fungi from catchment to coast.
Lead Supervisor: Professor Peter Robins
External Partner: Dwr Cymru, Welsh Water

Human pathogenic fungi represent an emerging global public health threat (e.g. Candida albicans, C. auris, Cryptococcus neoformans). These are responsible for an increasing number of cases of morbidity and mortality in at-risk groups and are also becoming increasingly multidrug resistant. While they can be transmitted person-to-person, they can also be contracted from the environment. Typically, infected individuals shed these fungi at high concentrations into wastewater, however, traditional wastewater treatment processes are relatively inefficient at removing yeasts like Candida. Further, during storms, untreated sewage containing fungi is also released from combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Predicting the concentration, fate and behaviour of these potential pathogens in the environment is difficult, being dependent on myriad biotic and abiotic factors. This PhD aims to advance our knowledge of the abundance of Candida spp. in wastewater (i.e. WBE) but also to investigate their survival and dispersal using the Conwy River Living Lab as an exemplar.