Aerobiology and Infection Control
The Aerobiology and Infection
Control Group is a multi-disciplinary research team comprising
microbiologists, engineers and mathematical modellers. 
The group
has considerable experience in evaluating bioaerosols in indoor
environments and engineering measures to control infection and in
recent years has successfully gained over £2M funding with contracts from EPSRC,
Department of Health and industry.
Research is driven by the
continuing problem of hospital acquired infection and the
worldwide health concerns about infectious diseases spread
through airborne routes. Airborne transmission is known to be a
primary mechanism in the transmission of TB and influenza, but
has also been implicated in the transmission of nosocomial
infections including MRSA, Acinetobacter
spp,
C.
difficile and norovirus. In addition,
contamination of the environment through contact with dirty hands
and objects or airborne dispersal provides a potential reservoir
of pathogens which could subsequently cause infection by indirect
contacts. 
Regardless of the
pathogen, successful control of infection involves breaking the
chain of transmission, for which it is necessary to understand
both the mode of transmission as well as the nature of the
pathogen and its behaviour in the environment.
Understanding this complex interaction between people, pathogens and the built environment is at the heart of our research with our key interests including:
- Airborne infection risk
- Tuberculosis control
- Transmission and control of hospital acquired infection
- Design of the healthcare environment
- Pathogen control technologies including:
-
- Ultraviolet (UV) radiation air disinfection
- Negative air ionisation
- Transport and Survival of microorganisms
- Indoor air quality
- Building airflows and ventilation technology
Our research expertise includes mathematical modeling techniques applied to transmission of disease and building airflow simulation, laboratory based studies on pathogen survival and air disinfection techniques and hospital based studies relating pathogen presence to the environment and activities. We also have a great deal of experience undertaking commercial research including testing microbial air cleaning devices in a room scale environment. Our multi-discipline approach brings together investigators from a variety of backgrounds and we have established strong links with a range of external collaborators including academics, industry and clinicians and estates engineers in the NHS.