Collection methods for early detection of airborne viruses

The real-time (RT) detection of bioaerosols has become extremely important in both military and civilian infrastructure. Biological warfare is posed to be an increasingly tangible threat for the future, with aerosol dissemination being identified as a mode of transmission (Franz et al.,1997). Thus, there is prerogative from national defence agencies to create aerosol detection technologies that are rapid, efficient and specific in identification of agent (Santl-Temklv et al.,2019; Huffman and Ratnesar-Shumate, 2020). There is a much wider scope for this technology with interest in the environmental and food sectors (Santl-Temklv et al.,2019). The detection of plant/animal pathogens can lead to crop devastation as well as the monitoring of potential release of bioaerosols in predefined hazardous locations (Jim Ho 2002).

Lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technologies have been established to handle complications that arise from sample collection, in addition to the low concentrations of aerosolised pathogens and high customisation. (Coudron et al., 2018; Santl-Temklv et al.,2019). It has been proposed that electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) based digital microfluidics (DMF) is the next generation in biological detection of aerosolised agents (Coudron et al., 2018). Aerosolised pathogens can be transmitted in a variety of modes: liquid droplets, dust particles or spores (Alsved et al., 2019; Santl-Temklv et al.,2019). The distance travelled is dependent on the size and density of the particle as larger particles will settle more rapidly compared to the smaller particles that can travel very long distances. A variety of collection methods have been developed in order to capture and analyse airborne pathogens. These include filtration or inertial/gravitational force approaches (Fronczek and Yoon 2015).

Aerosol science has a significant impact on a broad range of disciplines, extending from inhaled drug delivery, to combustion science and its health impacts, aerosol assisted routes to materials, climate change, and the delivery of agricultural and consumer products. Estimates of the global aerosol market size suggest it will reach $84 billion/year by 2024 with products in the personal care, household, automotive, food, paints and medical sectors. Air pollution leads to an estimated 30-40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK, and aerosols transmit human and animal infections. More than 12 million people in the UK live with lung disease such as asthma, and the NHS spends ~£5 billion/year on respiratory therapies. Many of the technological, societal and health challenges central to these areas rely on core skills and knowledge of aerosol science. Despite this, an Industrial Workshop and online survey (held in preparation for this bid) highlighted the current doctoral skills gap in aerosol science in the UK. Participating industries reported that only 15% of their employees working with aerosol science at doctoral-level having received any formal training. A CDT in aerosol science, CAS, will fill this skills gap, impacting on all areas of science where core training in aerosol science is crucial.

Impact on the UK aerosol community: Aerosol scientists work across governmental policy, industrial research and innovation, and in academia. Despite the considerable overlap in training needs for researchers working in these diverse sectors, current doctoral training in aerosol science is fragmentary and ad hoc (e.g. the annual Fundamentals of Aerosol Science course delivered by the Aerosol Society). In addition, training occurs within the context of individual disciplines, reinforcing artificial subject boundaries. CAS will bring coherence to training in the core physical and engineering science of aerosols, catalysing new synergies in research, and providing a focal point for training a multidisciplinary community of researchers. Working with the Aerosol Society, we will establish a legacy by providing training resources for future researchers through an online training portal.

Impact on industry and public-sector partners: 45 organisations have indicated they will act as CAS partners with interests in respiratory therapies, public health, materials manufacturing, consumer and agricultural products, instrumentation, emissions and environment. Establishing CAS will deliver researchers with the necessary skills to ensure the UK establishes and sustains a scientific and technical lead in their sectors. Further, it will provide an ideal mechanism for delivering Continuing Professional Development for the existing workforce practitioners. The activity of CAS is aligned to the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (e.g. through developing new healthcare technologies and new materials) and the EPSRC Prosperity Outcomes of a productive, healthy (e.g. novel treatments for respiratory disease) and resilient (e.g. adaptations to climate change, air quality) nation, with both the skilled researchers and their science naturally translating to long-lasting impact. Additionally, rigorous training in responsible innovation and ethical standards will lead to aerosol researchers able to contribute to developing: regulatory standards for medicines; policy on air quality and climate geoengineering; and regulations on manufactured nano-materials.

Public engagement: CAS will provide a focal point for engaging the public on topics in aerosol science that affect our daily lives (consumer products, materials) through to our health (inhalation therapeutics, disease transmission and impacts of pollution) and the future of our planet (geoengineering). Supported by a rigorous doctoral level training in aerosol science, this next generation of researchers will be ideally positioned to lead debates on all of these societal and technological challenges.