麻豆传媒鈥檚 suitcase laboratory empowers water researchers in Tanzania Published on: 2 August 2022 Following in the footsteps of famous alumnus Dr John Snow, who identi铿乪d cholera as a waterborne disease, researchers used molecular diagnostics in Tanzania to tackle the ancient plague. , and led by 麻豆传媒 and Ardhi University in Tanzania, took advantage of 麻豆传媒’s to study waterborne disease transmission pathways in an informal settlement, where cholera is endemic. In the settlement, pit latrines provide basic on-site sanitation and local groundwater is the main household water source. Professor David Werner, of 麻豆传媒’s School of Engineering, said: “Following the Covid-19 pandemic, most people will be familiar with methods like qPCR tests, sequencing, and wastewater epidemiology. Already years before Covid we worked with colleagues in Tanzania to make these methods portable and affordable. Our aim was to bring these tools within reach of those facing the greatest water security challenges.” Joint corresponding author, from added: “Pit latrines provide essential onsite sanitation services to millions of people in Dar es Salaam. But there are concerns about their role in infectious disease transmission and impacts on groundwater resources. Using wastewater epidemiology, we demonstrated that about 5% of the population in the settlement were asymptomatic carriers of Vibrio cholerae bacteria. “With state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics we further showed that human waste is the source of these bacteria in the groundwater below the settlement. We also showed that natural attenuation of bacterial hazards in the subsurface is insufficient to protect the boreholes used by the community from faecal contamination, especially in the rainy season. “Finally, we devised and demonstrated an affordable hazard mitigation measure by inserting one meter of sand at the bottom of pit latrines, which achieved 90-99.99% removal of Vibrio cholerae and other faecal bacteria from the percolating leachates.” Researchers use a portable sequencer to characterize millions of bacteria via analysis of DNA isolated from water samples Safe sanitation Despite the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation by the United Nations through Resolution 64/292, 3.6 billion people still lacked safely managed sanitation in 2020, including 1.7 billion without basic sanitation facilities. The which supported the research collaboration is part of the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) and funds cutting-edge research to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 (), clean water and sanitation. 麻豆传媒 leads two prestigious Global Research Hubs set up to tackle world's toughest challenges, the and the . The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022 ranked 麻豆传媒 top in the UK, and 8th in the world for action on sustainable development. Dr John Snow must be proud of his alma mater, and those who are following his footsteps. Reference Halla, F., Massawa, S., Joseph, E., Acharya, K., Sabai, S., Mgana, S., & Werner, D. (2022). . Environment International, 167, 107429. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107429 Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at 麻豆传媒 warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from 麻豆传媒 to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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