Monitoring community health through wastewater based epidemiology: a new analytical framework & technological approaches towards community infectious

Full title: Monitoring community health through wastewater based epidemiology: a new analytical framework and technological approaches towards community infectious disease diagnostics.
This project will aim to develop new analysis technologies to help with verification of infectious disease spread in urban environment.
Can the spread of disease be monitored through the analysis of wastewater for the pathogenic RNA? Rapid identification and management of public health risks in urban environments are urgently needed to sustain city health. In our group and wider networks (ReNEW and ENTRUST, EU INTERWASTE, EU SCORE) we are developing a cutting-edge, evidence based public health diagnostics platform (PHDP) via urban water fingerprinting. We postulate that water from urban dwellings reflects the health status of contributing population as it pools the endo- & exogenous products of that population. Real-time spatiotemporal measurement of these community derived products (biomarkers) allows for rapid evaluation of public health status, prediction of future crises, and enables mitigation strategies for city's stressors, even before they manifest themselves with characteristic endpoints (e.g. mortality in the event of infectious disease epidemics). Mass spectrometry is the method of choice for chemical metabolic markers identification and quantification in water. However, the historical breakthrough allowing for quantification of genetic markers of disease is yet to be achieved.

We will initially focus on norovirus and possibly on TB. This will be achieved using waste water sampled from waste water treatment plants in 2 or 3 cities in South West England via the following objectives:
1. Development of a new analytical framework for infectious disease diagnostics at the community-level: sampling, sample prep, dPCR for infectious disease.
2. Data analysis and statistical approaches (incl. data collected within ENTRUST in close collaboration with Wessex Water) - towards early warning system for disease outbreak.
3. New technological approaches for low cost and real time identification of disease outbreak. This might include the development of novel CRISPR and electrochemistry-based detection methodologies.

Novel physical sciences methodology:
- Development of a methodology for the preparation and analysis of wastewater samples for RNA quantification by dPCR.
- Development of a future biosensor methodology (CRISPR/electrochemistry).

What will the student be doing:
-For both norovirus and coronavirus: analysing Public Health England data to determine the appropriate target pathogen gene.
-For norovirus: analysing the genetic variability of norovirus in wastewater by gene sequencing.
-For both norovirus and coronavirus: establishing the dynamic range of dPCR for the target pathogen gene.
-Developing a sample preparation and stable sample storage methodology for pathogenic RNA from wastewater.
-Gathering initial data for norovirus and coronavirus concentration in 1-3 locations.
-Initiating regular (weekly/monthly) wastewater sample collection, preparation, storage and analysis for a future biosensor methodology (CRISPR/electrochemistry).
-Building that biosensor.
-Gathering proof of concept data for the biosensor via the detection of the target gene in synthetic waste water.

The Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Sustainable Chemical Technologies (SCT) at the University of Bath will place fundamental concepts of sustainability at the core of a broad spectrum of research and training at the interface of chemical science and engineering. It will train over 60 PhD students in 5 cohorts within four themes (Energy and Water, Renewable Resources and Biotechnology, Processes and Manufacturing and Healthcare Technologies) and its activities and graduates will have potential economic, environmental and social impact across a wide range of beneficiaries from academia, public sector and government, to industry, schools and the general public.

The primary impact of the CDT will be in providing a pool of highly skilled and talented graduates as tomorrow's leaders in industry, academia, and policy-making, who are committed to all aspects of sustainability. The economic need for such graduates is well-established and CDT graduates will enhance the economic competitiveness of the UK chemistry-using sector, which accounts for 6m jobs (RSC 2010), contributing £25b to the UK economy in 2010 (RSC 2013). The Industrial Biotechnology (IB) Innovation and Growth Team (2009) estimated the value of the IB market in 2025 between £4b and £12b, and CIKTN (BIS) found that "chemistry, chemical engineering and biology taken together underpin some £800b of activity in the UK economy".

UK industry will also gain through collaborative research and training proposed in the Centre. At this stage, the CDT has 24 partners including companies from across the chemistry- and biotechnology-using sectors. As well as direct involvement in collaborative CDT projects, the Centre will provide an excellent mechanism to engage with industrial and manufacturing partners via the industrial forum and the Summer Showcase, providing many opportunities to address economic, environmental and societal challenges, thereby achieving significant economic and environmental impact.

Many of the issues and topics covered by the centre (e.g., sustainable energy, renewable feedstocks, water, infection control) are of broad societal interest, providing excellent opportunities for engagement of a wide range of publics in broader technical and scientific aspects of sustainability. Social impact will be achieved through participation of Centre students and staff in science cafés, science fairs (Cheltenham Science Festival, British Science Festival, Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition) and other events (e.g., Famelab, I'm a Scientist Get Me Out of Here). Engagement with schools and schoolteachers will help stimulate the next generation of scientists and engineers through enthusing young minds in relevant topics such as biofuels, solar conversion, climate change and degradable plastics.

The activities of the CDT have potential to have impact on policy and to shape the future landscape of sustainable chemical technologies and manufacturing. The CDT will work with Bath's new Institute for Policy Research, through seminars, joint publication of policy briefs to shape and inform policy relevant to SCT. Internship opportunities with stakeholder partners and, for example, the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology will provide further impact in this context.