Environment and Health PhD

Environmental factors influence our health and wellbeing, as well as affect ecosystems and wildlife. An intimate understanding of such factors – chemical substances, for example, or changes in radiation or temperature – is urgently needed to better understand disease trends in humans and adverse effects on wildlife. Our research in the area of environment and health provides the foundations necessary to pinpoint preventable causes of ill-health and adversity and to underpin the development of evidence-based primary prevention policies. A second important focus for our research is to understand the impacts of human civilisation on Earth's natural systems and the ecosystem services that support us. We are developing technologies and approaches to prevent and remedy pollution as well as to renew and restore degraded ecosystems.

Our research focuses on five areas:

• Biological Pathways and Systems
• Environmental Health and Ecosystems
• Environmental Change
• Environmental Solutions
• Environmental Policy and Communication

Membership of London NERC – DTPs 
Staff from Environment and Health participate in the London NERC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP), a program that currently funds 70 PhD students in the natural sciences.  The aim of the London NERC DTC is to attain new standards of excellence in environmental science research training and deliver a transformative inter-disciplinary experience for PhD students in the heart of London. Students are trained at 9 of the World-leading research centres, which cover a huge range of environmental science research, from those driven by contemporary environmental challenges to those exploring complex questions about the evolution of planet Earth.  Student projects within Environment and Health are mainly in the themes of Environmental Pollution, Natural and Biological Hazards and Past Life and the Environment. 

The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

Our research revealing the link between chemicals in rivers and reproductive health has won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. By uncovering a link between exposure to water pollution and sex change in male fish in UK rivers, Professor John Sumpter’s research team provided the impetus for human health research also linking chemical exposure with declining sperm counts, increased incidence of male genital abnormalities, and testicular, breast and prostate cancer in human populations.

Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.  

Learn more about research in this area.

Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team.

You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.

While we welcome all multidisciplinary topics in the area of Environment and Health here is a list of potential research areas we would like to supervise.

• Development of a novel assay for testing androgens and anti-androgens in fish. 
• Degradation and Transformation of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment 
• Development of a novel model to quantify nitrous oxide emissions in the biological nutrient removal process of wastewater treatment plants
• Human Toxicology and Epigenetics 
• Development of an evidence-based risk management system for Legionella control in domestic water systems.
• Identification of microplastics in freshwater environments

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Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here: Research degree progress structure.

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme. The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students.

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.

Find out more.

Doctoral students graduating from Brunel University London in Environment and Health are highly valued by numerous employers and attain prominent roles as academics, PDRAs and Research Fellows in prestigious Universities worldwide.  Some graduates find influential roles in Government Agencies, such as the Environment Agency and Food and Environmental Research Agency, or as environmental managers and ecotoxicologists in Industry, including Syngenta, Atkins and Proctor and Gamble.  PhD Graduates have also joined various environmental consultancies as analysts, or have established their own consultancies serving on several National and International committees (e.g. OECD) dealing with current health/environment issues.