RVC Supervisor(s): Dr Jayna Raghwani

Non-RVC Supervisor:  Dr Matthew Hall (LSHTM), Dr Kris Parag (Imperial College London)

Department: Pathobiology and Population Sciences

Project Summary:

Background and Rationale:

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join an interdisciplinary team investigating infectious disease dynamics in wildlife reservoirs of zoonotic viruses. The overarching research project, “Integrating metaviromics with epidemiological dynamics: understanding rodent virus transmission in the Anthropocene”, is funded through the NSF/NIH/BBSRC US-UK Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease (EEID) Programme. The project involves partners from the US (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Smithsonian’s Global Health Program), UK (Royal Veterinary College, Glasgow, Oxford), Uganda (Vector Control Division), and Kenya (International Livestock Research Institute; ILRI).

The PhD will be based at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), with co-supervision from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London, and will involve close collaboration with the wider international project team. The project brings together expertise in wildlife disease ecology, virus genomics, and infectious disease modelling, providing a strongly interdisciplinary training environment.

The objective of the PhD is to quantify how individual differences in contact behaviour and lifespan influence viral transmission dynamics and long-term persistence in wild rodent populations. The student will analyse long-term capture-mark-recapture and social contact data from multiple rodent species, alongside viral genomic data collected over several years in a seasonally variable environment. These empirical data will be integrated with network and stochastic modelling as well as Bayesian inference approaches to explore how individual heterogeneity shapes epidemic size, timing, and persistence in populations living in dynamic habitats.

By combining detailed field-derived data with theoretical models, the project will advance understanding of disease dynamics in wildlife and generate insights relevant to the surveillance and control of rodent-borne viruses of public health concern.

References

1.  Raulo, A. et al. Social and environmental transmission spread different sets of gut microbes in wild mice. Nat Ecol Evol 8, 972–985 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02381-0
2. Raghwani J. et al. Seasonal dynamics of the wild rodent faecal virome. Mol Ecol. 32:4763-4776 (2023). doi: 10.1111/mec.16778.  
3. Lloyd-Smith, JO. et al. Superspreading and the effect of individual variation on disease emergence. Nature 438, 355–359 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04153

Requirements

Essential:

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. Biology, Ecology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics)
• Strong interest in research at the interface of ecology, epidemiology, and evolution
• Demonstrated experience in analysing biological and/or ecological data
• Knowledge and experience in applying quantitative methods (e.g. statistical, computational or mathematical) in the context of biological systems
• Highly motivated, curiosity-driven, and able to work independently
• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines

Desirable:

• Previous research experience in relevant area (e.g. wildlife disease ecology, epidemiology)
• Experience with programming (e.g. Python, C++, Java, R)
• Knowledge and experience in epidemiological or ecological modelling
• Experience with mathematical and/or statistical models
• Well-developed collaborative and communication skills

Fees and Funding

This is a 4-year fully-funded studentship, funded by the Bloomsbury PhD scheme (additional year requested through LIDO scheme). This funding covers 'Home' rate tuition fees and a UKRI stipend. 

The studentship will commence in October 2026 at the RVC's Hawkshead campus.

This studentship is open to applicants eligible for "Home" fees. International applicants are welcome to apply but must be able to fund the difference between "Home" and "Overseas" tuition fees. 

EU/EEA and Swiss national students starting studies in the 2021/22 academic year or later academic years may no longer be eligible to pay the “home” rate of tuition fees nor claim any financial support for their studies dependent on your personal circumstances (including immigration status and residence history in the UK). To help determine whether you would be eligible for home fees please see the UKCISA's 'Who pays 'home' fees for higher education in England?' guide found here.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please follow the link below.  Please use your personal statement describing your background and motivations for applying to this PhD project.

How to Apply

For more information on the application process and English Language requirements see How to Apply.

Deadline for applications is April 2nd 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place remotely via Microsoft Teams on April 17th 2026.

We welcome informal enquiries - these should be directed to Dr Jayna Raghwani: jraghwani@rvc.ac.uk 

Deadline: 02/04/2026