PhD/MPhil Veterinary Parasitology in Liverpool United Kingdom | University of Liverpool

Parasitology focuses on the study of parasites that impact both animal and human health, covering their biology, transmission patterns, immune responses, disease spread, and management strategies. Our research investigates various parasitic infections, including zoonotic diseases, as well as tick-borne illnesses. For more than a century and a half, the University of Liverpool has maintained a world-class standing in infectious disease research, tropical medicine, and global health initiatives.

The Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool was created to unite top researchers from medical, veterinary, and fundamental science disciplines within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. It synergizes with other key institutions in Liverpool, such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine, the Medicines for Children Research Network, and the Wellcome Trust Tropical Centre, which includes a dedicated PhD program.

We maintain strong partnerships with NHS professionals through the Liverpool Health Partners Academic Health Science System.
We especially encourage research proposals aligned with our team's expertise, including:

Investigating the detection, spread, and management of Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke), a parasitic flatworm that causes significant economic losses in livestock and poses a growing zoonotic threat in certain regions
Studying drug resistance in liver flukes and gastrointestinal parasites of farm animals, utilizing genomic tools and population genetics to identify resistance mechanisms
Exploring cellular and molecular interactions between ticks and pathogens, including mixed infections involving bacteria and viruses
Basic research on immune responses to parasitic infections in ruminants
Employing advanced sequencing methods (genomics/transcriptomics) to investigate disease processes in single-celled, vector-borne parasites (Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Apicomplexa)
Using cutting-edge imaging technologies to analyze 3D tissue models that reveal how apicomplexan parasites interact with intestinal cells and host immune defenses in livestock.