Expedition to UKHSA

A team from the University of Hertfordshire’s Biodetection Technologies Hub ventured to Oxford to visit the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) for potential collaborations.

UKHSA is the national body that leads the UK’s work to protect people from major health threats, including infectious diseases and harmful chemicals, environmental, and radiological hazards. The agency prepares for future emergencies, responses to incidents and strengthens long term health security to keep communities safe.   

We were greeted by Emma Marczylo and Alison Buckley with a thorough lab tour at the Harwell Campus, Chilton. This included microbiology labs, molecular labs, controlled aerosol chambers, and the roof of the building, which housed multiple specialist equipment for aerosol sampling.

It was particularly interesting to compare the different equipment used for aerosol sampling and detection. The discussion also opened promising opportunities for potential collaborations between the Agency and the Hub.

A special mutual interest was shown in research on pollen and the use of the aerosol sampling devices on the roof, such as the Burkard cyclone sampler, which utilises wind orientation to continuously sample air directly into an Eppendorf tube. The sharing of expertise and equipment can advance the current aerosol sampling and diagnostic techniques.

Keep an eye out for future research and joint projects between UKHSA and The Biodetection Technologies Hub in a mission to protect the public from health threats.