During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders around the globe were searching for solutions to help get a handle on the crisis. When would the next wave hit? When would the next surge wash over their community?
Testing on an individual basis provided answers, but often a COVID wave was already a flood by the time epidemiologists could fully absorb and analyse the results. There was demand for more immediate feedback on the levels of infection streaming into communities. 听
Innovators around the globe were searching for solutions 鈥� including a small business in New Brunswick with a solution focused on testing water downstream in the pipes leading from our homes and business.
Outsourcing a brilliant idea
鈥淎s the pandemic went on, we determined that there is something interesting
here with the wastewater,鈥� said Jordan Schmidt, director of product applications at Fredericton, N.B.-based . 鈥淗ow might we develop a wastewater test kit that is accessible for a larger audience. Our research and development team had an idea, but they didn鈥檛 have the time because they were focused on higher priority clinical testing.鈥�
LuminUltra was focused on fulfilling a contract with the Government of Canada to produce tests for individuals, so it did what it often does when it wants to put new ideas to work. It turned to their longstanding research partners in 国民彩票鈥檚 .
鈥淲e had the idea, but we didn鈥檛 have the people to follow through. And Dal had a lot of folks that were interested in working in the lab and doing something to protect public health, so it was a natural win-win,鈥� says Dr. Schmidt (pictured above right).
The result was a new patent-pending innovation for wastewater testing that is easy-to-use and provides results in hours. It was a significant improvement over previous testing options that could take weeks to provide results and required specialized equipment and lab expertise. The new process opened wastewater testing to a huge new market.
A climate for water innovation
It鈥檚 wins like this that inspired NSERC to approve a new $7-millon Alliance Grant that will enable 国民彩票 researchers to work with public and private sector organizations focused on water testing and treatment. The aim is to better understand the coming impacts of climate change. Led by Graham Gagnon with co-investigators Amina Stoddart, Mita Dasog and