Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE)
We are establishing a new research center to test municipal wastewater for pathogens and chemicals and make the data available to the public and other potential stakeholders. The facility will act as an intelligence unit to track and prevent disease outbreaks in its early stages. The data will be analyzed and made available to the public through online real-time dashboard. We aim to extend this facility to other parts of India and develop a national health monitoring dashboard.
The WBE study will be performed by analyzing biological and chemical human urinary biomarkers in wastewater. The WBE tool will be used to track pollutants, pesticides, licit and illicit drugs, and personal care products to which the population is exposed.
We recently created an online dashboard to track SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in IIT Madras communities.