Gregg Duncan

Gregg Duncan is an assistant professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering, and principal investigator of the Nanoscale Interfacial Biology and Engineering Laboratory. Duncan and his laboratory group are working to develop a wearable bioaerosol sampler device that could determine if a person has been exposed to COVID-19, even before they show symptoms.

Can you describe your research?

Bioaerosols are tiny airborne particles that either contain living organisms – such as bacteria or viruses – or were released from living organisms – such as pollen or dander. While scientists have long collected and studied bioaerosols to learn more about their impact on human health, none of the collection media used today in bioaerosol sampling has been specifically designed for the isolation of virus particles. To address this, we are working to develop a bio-inspired hydrogel filtration media that mimics how the body’s own mucus “catches” inhaled virus particles and other pathogens in efforts to prevent infection. One of our main objectives is to develop wearable bioaerosol sampler devices that can efficiently capture airborne SARS-CoV-2 particles, which can cause COVID-19 infection. These efforts are being led by postdoctoral fellow Katherine Joyner along with graduate students Daniel Song & Devorah Cahn.

What inspired you to use bioaerosol sampling to isolate SARS-CoV-2 particles?

Bioaerosol sampling is needed to understand the potential routes of COVID-19 infection, as it is still unclear what the risk of infection is for inhaling the virus in the air versus through physical contact. However, the presence of aerosol containing SARS-CoV-2 certainly poses some level of risk in becoming infected.

Can you describe the similarities between how this filtration media and mucus “catch” these virus particles?

Mucus naturally possesses proteins, known as mucins, that viruses are likely to bind to and makes it an ideal capture material. In addition, mucus contains pores that are on the order of the size of the virus and further slow their passage through the lung. By creating a biomaterial composed of these same mucin proteins, we have found it is able to capture viruses through similar mechanisms.

Why is this research needed?

The most common filtration materials used for bioaerosol sampling are made of gelatin (main ingredient in jello) and PTFE (Teflon) which were not specifically designed for capture of viruses. This limits our ability to assess the potential exposure risk in settings like hospitals, nursing homes, and university dorms. New technology that more reliably captures viruses is needed to understand the risk of inhaled transmission.

What does the future of this research look like?

Once we have a prototype in hand, we plan to work with Don Milton at UMD to do simulated capture experiments from individuals positive for COVID-19. We will determine how this material performs in comparison to standard filters and if successful, develop methods to scale up production for more widespread use.