Rifat Noor Shanta

Rifat Noor Shanta is a QUEX joint PhD candidate at the University of Exeter (UK) and The University of Queensland (Australia), based at the Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI). She holds a professional degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) alongside postgraduate qualifications in Veterinary Public Health (MSC) and Animal Science (MSC), providing her with a strong interdisciplinary foundation at the interface of animal health, environmental science, and public health.

Her doctoral research investigates antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food-producing environments, with a particular focus on livestock systems and the complex environmental pathways that facilitate the emergence and spread of resistance. Adopting a One Health framework, her work examines the interconnected dynamics between animals, ecosystems, and human populations, aiming to elucidate how antimicrobial use in agriculture contributes to the persistence and dissemination of resistant organisms and genes across environmental compartments.

Through her research, Rifat contributes to addressing one of the most pressing global health challenges of the 21st century—AMR. By generating evidence on environmental reservoirs and transmission routes of resistance, her work informs risk assessment, policy development, and sustainable antimicrobial stewardship strategies. Her interdisciplinary approach supports the design of interventions that can reduce the spread of AMR while maintaining food security and ecosystem integrity.

Her work advances scientific understanding of AMR beyond clinical settings by highlighting the critical role of agricultural and environmental systems. She contributes to the integration of veterinary science, environmental microbiology, and public health, strengthening the evidence base needed for coordinated One Health responses. Under the supervision of Professor William Gaze, Aimee Murray, Anne Leonard, at University of Exeter and Dr. Jake O'Brien at University of Queensland through the QUEX collaboration, she is part of an international research network working to bridge knowledge gaps and translate science into actionable solutions for global AMR mitigation.