A system for the detection of airborne viruses

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a new system for the detection of airborne viruses, enabling fast identification of families of viral particles in air.

This innovation potentially provides a new tool for preventing the spread of infectious diseases, particularly in indoor environments.

See the patent on WIPO website

Short technical description of the invention

The system for the detection of airborne viruses consists of different modules that are integrated in a single device. The device comprises an aerosol collection module and an analysis module.

Collection module:

Collects the samples air via condensation growth tube for gentle viral preservation
Optional size-selection cyclone filters out large particles (>300 nm)
Collects the particles in a liquid buffer
- The liquid buffer is transferred to a microfluidics cell for the optical analysis
- The liquid cell bottom plate is functionalized with chemical groups that immobilize the particles present in the liquid buffer
Particles are distributed on the plate enabling single-particle analysis
The sample can be retained for subsequent confirmative PCR analysis in the lab

Analysis module

Uses hyper-spectral enhanced dark-field microscope to capture the scattering spectrum of each particle in the Vis-NIR spectral range
The obtained optical spectrum of the particles is analyzed using a ML based software trained to recognize the scattering spectrum of model viral particles form other particles
Calculates the total viral content (TVC) counting the particle recognized as viruses by the ML software

Reference

Patent: WO2024100252

Publication date: 16 Mai 2024

Licensing terms: Negotiable royalties, upfront fees, and technical support

Why detection of airborne viruses matters

Global health threat: Airborne viruses transmission pose a significant threat to global health, particularly in densely populated areas
Pandemic Prevention: 60% of emerging pathogens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, influenza) spread via aerosols but the early detection could prevent outbreaks
Healthcare & Economic impact: The spread of infectious diseases can have significant economic consequences, including lost productivity and healthcare costs
Need for rapid response: Early detection and warning systems are critical for preventing the spread of infectious diseases and mitigating their impact

Field of use

The market for airborne virus detection systems presents a substantial and growing opportunity for innovation and expansion. Driven by increasing concerns about public health and safety, the demand for effective and efficient detection systems is on the rise, particularly in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. Several key factors are contributing to the growth of this market, including:

Rising awareness of airborne virus transmission
Advances in technology/ PCR (or other existing methods) replacement
Increasing investments in healthcare infrastructure
Growing demand for workplace safety & ventilation system upgrades
Expanding applications in biotechnology and research

The key customers for airborne virus detection systems are diverse and include a range of organizations and industries that require effective and efficient detection of airborne viruses:

Health and Biotech Sector: Healthcare providers, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs)
Government and Public Health: Government agencies, public health and safety organizations, military and defense organizations
Education and Research: Academic institutions, schools and educational institutions
Transportation and Hospitality: Airports and transportation hubs, hotels and hospitality industry, sports and entertainment venues
Workplaces and Industries: Workplaces and offices, food processing and manufacturing industries

Main Advantages

AI powered single particle scattering spectroscopy: the technology distinguishes & identifies viral particles from other airborne particles using Machine Learning (ML) via their light scattering signature
Fast detection: near-real time results (hours vs. days for PCR)
Early alarm: it provides an early-warning signal of abnormal presence of viral particles in the air triggering the further specific identification by PCR in the lab
Unknown Virus Detection: detects family of viruses/variants without prior genetic data
Scalability: potential autonomous and field deployable systems to be integrated into air quality monitoring systems, enabling large-scale deployment
Cost-effective: reduces need for complex & expensive equipment, making it more accessible

Competitive edge

The detection of airborne viruses is a complex and challenging process, requiring significant expertise and resources to overcome the numerous technical and logistical hurdles that exist. Current detection methods are often limited by their scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ability to produce accurate results, making it difficult for producers to meet the increasing demand.

Below is a table showing the competitive landscape of existing detection methods, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each method and demonstrating how our patent/technology stands out as a superior solution:

	Detection Method	Description	Advantages	Limitations	Comparison to Our Patented Technology
1	PCR-based methods	Use polymerase chain reaction to detect viral DNA/RNA via amplification	High sensitivity and specificity	Time-consuming, expensive, and requires genetic information	Our patent offers a faster & more cost-effective solution
2	Immunoassay-based methods	Use antibodies to detect viral proteins	Use antibodies to detect viral proteins	Limited sensitivity and specificity	Our patent offers higher sensitivity & specificity
3	Cell culture-based methods	Use cell cultures to detect viral growth	High sensitivity and specificity; detects unknowns, viability data	Time-consuming, expensive, and requires specialized equipment	Our patent offers a faster & more cost-effective solution
4	Commercial Air Monitors	Tracks PM2.5/CO2	IoT integration	Usually, cannot distinguish viruses	Our patent is based on virus-specific analytics
5	Our patented method	Aerosol sampling +AI-powered hyperspectral microscopy	Rapid detection, and cost-effectiveness, with the ability to detect viral particles in near real-time	Requires calibration to avoid false positives (interference from non-viral particles)	Superior solution due to its unique combination of speed& cost-effectiveness

Technology readiness level

The patented technology matured from a lab concept to technical readiness level of TRL 5 ”Components are validated in a relevant environment, often simulated”, through a Proof of Concept (PoC) scheme.

Justification: The PoC scheme aimed at improving the patented technology in integrating Optical, Microfluidics module and the chip holder into a single, functional device. The PoC scheme also applied ML algorithms to analyze hyperspectral images and detect viral particles, demonstrating virus detection in real air samplesspiked with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viruses at different concentration. The technology is able to identify and count the viral particles in according to spiked quantity as measured by the PCR.

Technical expertise & infrastructure

To license our system, the licensee will need:

technical expertise in optical microscopy, microfluidics aerosol sampling, and data analysis and automation
access to a laboratory with necessary equipment
experience with quality control and regulatory compliance, etc.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) may provide technical support and collaboration to licensees, including, but not limited to: training and capacity building to support the development of the licensee's technical expertise and infrastructure, troubleshooting analysis and R&D collaboration.

For more information, contact the JRC Technology Transfer Team: JRC-TechTransferec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-TechTransfer[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)