Hi Everyone,
SOCAAR is pleased to announce our Seminar for March:
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
3 - 4 PM
200 College Street, WB 407
Airborne interactions between viruses and PM2.5 as an unexplored modifier of viral viability
Nicolas Groulx
Postdoctoral Intern
Department of Microbiology & Division of Infectious Diseases
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Research Institute
University of Toronto
Abstract: Anthropogenic air pollution is ubiquitous in urban areas worldwide. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in addition to other biological matter like endotoxins and spores
comingle with particulate matter (PM) air pollutants but have rarely been considered in air pollution research. Microorganisms may be influenced by interactions with ambient particles in matrices such as soil and dust leading to the inhibition or enhancement
of viability and environmental stability (e.g. tolerance to variation in seasonality, temperature, humidity, etc.). Similar effects of airborne particles on microbes are plausible; however, to our knowledge the influence of PM on airborne microbes has remained
largely unexamined. In the case of microbial agents of communicable disease, such as viruses, the potential for interactions with pollution may have public health implications. Here we describe an experimental platform to study aerosol-aerosol interactions
between PM2.5 particulate from urban air and artificially generated viral bioaerosol. Preliminary studies using this platform have revealed interactions between PM2.5 and the enveloped bacteriophage Φ6 that reduce infectivity
of the bacteriophage by 44% compared to a control exposed only to HEPA-filtered air. Co-aerosolization and aging of concentrated PM2.5 with Φ6 in combination with ΦX174 (a non-enveloped bacteriophage)
showed a similar trend in reduction of Φ6 infectivity but revealed an antithetical enhancement of ΦX174 infectivity compared to control exposures in HEPA-filtered air. Ongoing investigations
are needed to understand the nature of interactions between bioaerosols and PM2.5 particles.
If you are unable to join us for the seminar in person, we will be broadcasting the presentations live during the seminar using GoToMeeting software. Please feel free to join us online using a
web-browser or by calling in and using the web-viewing software. If you do decide to join us, please remember to mute your microphone. If you have any questions during the meeting you are welcome to contact me by email, or by using the GoToMeeting chat.
SOCAAR Seminar – Nicolas Groulx
Wed, March 7, 2018 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You can also dial in using your phone.
Canada: +1 (647) 497-9373
Access Code: 499-019-605
