This theme embodies a multi-disciplinary approach to studying the health of populations, spanning molecules to communities of animals including the human animal through One Health approaches. The theme links with Bristol’s Population Health Science Institute, a new centre that builds on Bristol’s internationally-leading reputation for research into the determinants and consequences of ill health.

Our research ranges from basic discovery science in molecular and genetic epidemiology to innovative clinical trials and policy-influencing and assessment activities. Our multi-disciplinary community works together with colleagues across several Schools and Faculties within the University and tackles a wide range of questions about health, welfare and longevity in both animal and human populations.

Andrew Dowsey leads this Research Theme which also encompasses world-leading research in Animal Welfare and Behaviour, Infection Immunotherapy and Inflammation, Comparative and Clinical Research and One Health approaches. The Population Health and Food Security themes work closely together, particularly on studies focusing on either antimicrobial use and/or resistance, or welfare of farmed species (cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, pigs or fish). Instrumentation of our dairy and poultry facilities via CIEL and John Oldacre funding allows large amounts of data to be collected on herds or flocks which can then be integrated and analysed by colleagues leading in bioinformatics, statistics and machine learning approaches.

Cohort studies on companion animals (Bristol cats, Generation Pup) will benefit not only those primary species but also delivers information relevant to human health. Our research also directly benefits the human population in areas of zoonotic infectious disease, cancer or autoimmunity, and the interactions between people and animals, such as the use of medical alert dogs.