LAPI BREATH (Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts – Bioaerosol Research & Environmental Airborne Transmission Hub)
Partner: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
PI: Prof. Nenes Athanasios ([email protected])
Operator: Dr. Ghislain Motos, LAPI/EPFL
Link to the original instrument description paper (by Ghislain Motos et al., 2024): https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1484992/full
The LAPI BREATH is a novel biosafety level 2 aerosol chamber equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation including aerosol generation via bubble bursting, size distribution measurement with a size classifier, and collection using condensational growth. The facility is thought to mimic a real airborne virus transmission scenario while minimizing inactivation when retrieving virus infectivity in aerosol particles.
- Voluminous chamber to respect natural aerosol settling, avoiding the use of fans or rotating instruments.
- Allows to study infectious viruses in aerosol particles, as well as any type of bioaerosols.
- Main research questions involve the impact of the aerosolization medium composition (saline solutions, saliva, lung fluid) and the air composition (gas-phase acids, organic compounds, NH3, etc.) on virus infectivity. These impacts are modulated by relative humidity.
- Related activities: cultivation of virus and quantification of total genomic copies (PCR) & infectivity (plaque assay).
Schematics and photo of the LAPI BREATH
Look at the video here.