Airborne Disease Transmission

Breaking the chain of airborne disease transmission in healthcare facilities.

This cross-campus team of researchers is developing infection isolation and removal solutions and devices designed to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses in healthcare settings. Working in close collaboration with partners in diverse clinical settings, this expert team of researchers aims to break the transmission of respiratory infections to make healthcare delivery safer.

Airborne Disease Transmission Research Excellence Cluster members have expertise in fluid science, multiphase flows/aerosol/droplet dynamics, health/immunology/clinical trials, air quality simulation, biofluid mechanics, assistive health technology, dentistry, public health, epidemiology, surgery and anesthesiology.

Interested in partnering?

Contact:

Jake Winkler
Cluster Coordinator

CLUSTER LEADs


CLUSTER RESEARCH TEAM

The ADT cluster leads three integrated, multidisciplinary teams:

1 – Health

Lead: Jonathan Little

The health team will assess high-risk healthcare settings, including hospitals, walk-in clinics and dental offices, develop procedures, analyze behaviours, and co-design airborne isolation and infection control solutions. Researchers will collaborate with health care providers, such as Kelowna General Hospital, Interior Health, Care Dental Centre, and DGA Health Services, to trial devices developed by the R&D and prototyping teams.


2 – Indoor environment

Lead: Joshua Brinkerhoff

The indoor environment team will investigate how the design of indoor spaces, their ventilation and infection control systems, and the actions of human occupants in and through these spaces impact the transport of air and airborne droplets and aerosols. Researchers will will work closely with HVAC specialists, such as Delta-T consultants, to model practical and realistic airflow parameters.

PhD Position – now recruiting


3 – R&D (technology development and design)

Lead: Sunny Li

The R&D team will develop devices focused on isolating and removing aerosols and droplets that transmit infections. Researchers will work with industry partners, such as CareHealth Meditech, to prototype and manufacture devices, with the ultimate goal of commercialization.

Research Outputs

White Papers:

Local-and-Synchronous-Control-of-Covid-19-Airborne-Transmission

Experimental-report-2020-09

CLUSTER partners

Care Dental Center (Dr. Dionysius David)
Care Health Meditech (Stephen Munro)
Kelowna General Hospital (Mark Masterson, Chief of Staff)
Delta-T Consultants (Eric Schredl, P.Eng)
DGA Health Services Ltd. (Turtle Bay Medical Clinic) (Kiffer Walker)