Downing Fellow part of new pilot project
Dr Charlotte Hammer, Fellow in Emerging Infectious Diseases, is involved in a wastewater monitoring pilot project.
The pilot is being launched by the University of Cambridge’s Estates Division along with Untap Health to monitor the collective health of West Hub (the co-working hub on the University's West Cambridge Site) users during the upcoming Michaelmas term.
The two-month project, which runs from 2 October to 1 December, will use innovative technology to monitor the health of the West Hub community for selected pathogens, in real time, using a single test station, in the outgoing sewage.
Untap Health will provide the Estates Division's Health and Safety team with daily data on the local viral risk for Norovirus, RSV, Influenza and Covid-19.
Dr Hammer said. “Universities are, by their nature, at a heightened transmission risk due to the large number of people mixing both professionally and socially on a daily basis in changing groups, with some of them even living in this same setting.
“Wastewater surveillance could potentially also be useful at building or community level by giving a more granular picture on circulating pathogens and thus allowing for local mitigation measures. Especially in a setting such as the West Hub, which attracts a wide range of students and staff. Early warning at the local level could be beneficial to reduce disease transmission.”
The pilot will be used for community wastewater surveillance and no individual will be identifiable through the testing. The testing is for the pathogens listed only and not for drugs, alcohol or any other substances.
For those interested in finding out more about the pilot, there will be two webinars held in October, which will give attendees a chance to ask questions to speakers. You can sign up for these webinars via the links below:
Dr Hammer will be a speaker at both webinars.
Published 22 September 2023