Project Summary

Salmonella remains a persistent challenge on poultry farms, with particular difficulties in controlling infection in duck egg and meat systems, as well as free-range hen production. While the Salmonella Control Programme has significantly reduced the risk of infection and product contamination in commercial layer and broiler systems, ongoing challenges remain in fully understanding and managing the sources and spread of infection across different production systems.

Despite progress in control measures, there is still limited understanding of how Salmonella is introduced and disseminated within poultry farms, and how it spreads within flocks over time. In particular, gaps remain in identifying transmission pathways, understanding timelines of infection within layer flocks, and improving detection in relation to egg contamination.

The student will focus on:

• Investigating the sources and dissemination of Salmonella on poultry farms
• Examining timelines for Salmonella spread within layer flocks, egg contamination, and detection
• Assessing strategies to enhance Salmonella control

Why This Scholarship Stands Out

This PhD is unique because it addresses a critical food safety challenge: Salmonella control in poultry systems that are less studied than conventional broilers and layers, including duck egg, duck meat, and free-range hen production. The project combines modern molecular biology approaches (Next-Generation Sequencing, bioinformatics) with farm-based research and laboratory analysis. You will gain training in NGS, bioinformatics, and data handling alongside practical experience on working poultry farms. Teagasc Ashtown is Ireland’s national centre for food science research, with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. As a Walsh Scholar, you will have access to structured training, international conference opportunities, and up to 12 weeks of international research placement. For someone interested in food safety, microbiology, and molecular epidemiology, this PhD offers the chance to generate evidence that directly informs Salmonella control strategies for farmers and regulators.

Candidate Profile and Eligibility

My Application Strategy

1. Highlight your microbiology and molecular biology experience – Be specific about techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing) and any experience with pathogens
2. Emphasize bioinformatics or NGS skills – Next-Generation Sequencing and data analysis are core to this project. Mention any experience with sequence analysis tools
3. Show understanding of Salmonella in poultry – Familiarity with Salmonella serovars, transmission routes, and control measures (biosecurity, vaccination, testing) is valuable
4. Demonstrate interest in farm-based research – The role involves fieldwork on poultry farms. Show willingness to work in farm environments
5. Read Professor Paul Whyte and Professor Declan Bolton’s publications on foodborne pathogens and poultry – Cite their work in your personal statement

What They Offer

Who Should Apply

This PhD is perfect for a student with a background in microbiology, molecular biology, or food safety who wants to apply modern sequencing technologies to solve real-world problems in poultry production. If you are interested in how pathogens spread through farms, how to detect them earlier, and how to design better control strategies, this project offers training across molecular epidemiology, bioinformatics, and on-farm research. Candidates with experience in Salmonella or other foodborne pathogens are especially encouraged. The ideal candidate is someone who understands that improving food safety requires understanding both the microbiology and the farming system.

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