On May 12, 2022, at 3:30 p.m., the American Corner@Técnico’s lecture “In the weeds: technical considerations for environmental surveillance” will take place in the Meeting Room of the Central building, with Professor Scott Meschke, from the University of Washington.

Abstract: Environmental surveillance, chiefly sampling of wastewater as a composite indicator of disease dynamics in a target population, has gained traction as a public health tool during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This presentation will provide a detailed overview of the use of environmental surveillance as a public health tool. Specific use cases for environmental surveillance will be discussed for a variety pathogen targets. Technical and logistical challenges with respect to sampling, processing, and analysis of wastewater samples will also be covered. A special focus will be made on the interpretation and action ability of surveillance data.

Moderators: Researchers Ricardo Santos and Sílvia Monteiro(LAIST).