Reducing the spread of airborne viruses in healthcare settings
Official title: Mitigation of ventilation-based resuspension and spread of airborne viruses in nosocomial and healthcare settings
Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-10769890 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how things like temperature and humidity in hospitals can influence the spread of airborne viruses, with the goal of creating better ventilation systems to keep patients and staff safer from infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m Agrilife Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 26, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $219,251 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI169046-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10769890 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals receiving treatment in healthcare facilities, particularly those at higher risk of airborne infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not in healthcare settings or those with non-infectious conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and air velocity affect the transmission of airborne viruses in healthcare facilities. By understanding these factors, the study aims to develop better ventilation designs and strategies to minimize the spread of infectious viruses. The approach combines modeling and sampling techniques to assess how airborne pathogens behave in different conditions. This could lead to significant improvements in infection control practices in hospitals and other healthcare environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to enhanced safety measures that significantly reduce the transmission of airborne viruses in healthcare settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using modeling and sampling approaches to mitigate the transport of airborne infectious microorganisms, indicating a promising avenue for this study.
Where this research is happening
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Texas A&m Agrilife Research
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: King, Maria Dobozi — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
- Study coordinator: King, Maria Dobozi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.