A portable DIHM for in-situ detection of airborne viruses

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A portable Digital In-line holographic microscopy is requested to enable us to perform a medium-risk high-impact potential research project to revolutionize the detection of microbes, in moving matrices such as air and water. In the era of COVID-19 and the climate change, novel mutating viruses will increasingly affect humans. Yet, the humanity is not ready for them. Even key identified factors in viral disease transmission of respiratory diseases, such as size, number density and transformation processes of viruses, in their entirety, in real-time or in-situ are unknown that are essential for formulating smart responses and better management of the current and future pandemics. There is an urgent need for this equipment. We have recently developed a hybrid technology (nano-DIHM) which consists of recently McGill invented airborne interface and a DIHM unit, that was borrowed. We have shown that the developed nano-DIHM is capable of in-situ and real-time rapid detection (seconds) of viruses. We have also shown that this technique is capable of observing the entire microbes, in a dynamic medium such as ambient air, water, or indoor air in buildings. To our knowledge, it will be the first dynamic in-situ and real-time detection acapability for airborne virus. The existing techniques for airborne viruses are mostly collection (i.e., not real-time or in-situ) or lack selectivity. This technology is promising, as our preliminary data show that this technique has high selectivity. Yet, we have to return the DIHM, and we urgently need to have a dedicated unit to be couple of our inventions, to enable to contribute to science. We have three innovative research objectives for next 5 years: (1) Creation of metadata for bioaerosols including airborne viruses; (2) Machine learning (artificial intelligent and data mining techniques) to further improve the quality of metadata and enhance detection AND identification of bioaerosols (such as virus) in air, which could have never been done before, to our knowledge., smart Nano-DIHM which is Automated with remote sensing capability. This novel technology will allow to contribute to key information on (a) rapid identification, (b) number density, (c) transformation, (c) hot spot identification and (d) viral transmission process, by in-situ real time imaging of particle phase(s), heterogeneity and transformation of surfaces. By addressing these objectives, we will be able to observe, analyze and identify the data imaging dynamically, in air, in real-time, with the option of remote sensing. We will be able to create a novel technological capability for airborne viruses, in Canada and globally. An average of 4 bright HQP per year will be trained on this RTI equipment, in an equitable, diverse and intellectually exciting laboratory environment, that foster creations and innovations, while exploring the boundaries of unknown.