Researchers at The University of Manchester are developing a novel approach to investigate the relationship between changes in surface water, human and animal interactions, and gastrointestinal disease prevalence. 

Chronic zoonotic waterborne diseases are a leading cause of morbidity in landscapes shared by people, livestock, and wildlife in East Africa. However, disease surveillance remains focused on acute, epidemic diseases. 

Co-created with local partners and institutions in Kenya and Tanzania, this project aims to examine how environmental factors, such as water availability and quality, contribute to the spread of diseases among humans, livestock, and wildlife in the region. There is an urgent need to improve access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, especially for vulnerable populations, to reduce preventable deaths. 

An interdisciplinary team of experts in epidemiology, disease ecology, and physical geography will examine issues like water scarcity and contamination to deepen our understanding of how these factors affect health across different populations. 

The findings will inform strategies for sustainable water management and disease prevention, aiming to reduce waterborne disease risks and lower mortality rates in East Africa. Additionally, the results will contribute to global policy frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, WHO International Health Regulations, and the African Union Agenda 2063.

The University launched an Africa Strategy which looks to develop resource, capacity sharing and knowledge production, with investment in people and facilities that is impactful on the ground in this region.

Our undergraduate students have assisted a study into the effects of warming ocean waters on the small-spotted catshark embryo’s freeze response: a technique whereby the embryo stops moving so that predators won’t detect them.

The research found that with a 5°C water temperature increase there was a seven-fold decrease in the length of time the embryos froze for in the presence of a predator stimuli, indicating that as oceans warm, many shark and ray species may reduce in number due to increased predation.

With half a billion people worldwide having poor water supplies and two billion with poor sanitation facilities, our two free MOOCs open up access for citizens and leaders around the world to explore what can be done to solve this complex global issue.

At our Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, we partnered with IncredibleOceans to deliver outreach talks and programmes to raise awareness of how oceans are facing threats from development and overfishing, climate change, pollution, acoustics and more.

We teamed up with scientists, creatives, community organisations, campaigners, companies and broadcast media to maximise the impact of this educational outreach activity.

Life below water, in rivers and at sea, is threatened by waste flowing from urban river channels into the oceans.

We’ve been highlighting the effect of microplastics – very small pieces of plastic debris including microbeads, microfibres and plastic fragments – on river systems and marine life through a range of pro-active media coverage, engagement with water companies and input into UK legislation on water management.

Our work in hydrology and hydrochemistry to understand metals, carbon and gases in water systems has led to the development of a highly successful spin-out company, Salamander, which has brought to market two cutting-edge pieces of water monitoring software – chloroclam and hydroclam – which are being used in industry to improve water and marine system monitoring. We have also undertaken work to understand hypoxia – dead fish zones – which has directly informed marine industry practice on aquatic ecosystems.

Leading the way in achieving the University’s pledge to eliminate avoidable single-use plastic usage, staff in our School of Biological Sciences are reducing single-use plastics in the lab through adoption of a 6R approach.

This has included:

• refining protocol and optimising waste management;
• reducing single-use items;
• re-using materials, plastic containers and gloves;
• using recycled material;
• replacing plastics where possible with glass, paper or wood.