First up: making schools and public spaces safer from COVID-19 and Influenza A virus H1N1 in under one minute. Amanda Jamieson, a respiratory virologist (Molecular Microbiology and Immunology), performed independent testing of a nano-material, GC Ink™. According to her report release at the end of February, GC Ink™ neutralized 100% of the virus present. 

This fast-acting, extremely effective, and safe formulation of graphene and silver nanoparticles can be applied to masks and other PPE, and in particular, applied to filters in ventilation systems. When used in filters and masks, GC Ink™ is highly effective at trapping and neutralizing airborne coronaviruses and other viruses/bacteria for several weeks. When used in wipes, GC Ink also leaves a thin, highly effective, safe layer of protection against viruses and bacteria that lasts for 24 hours. The press release is here.

Last spring, researchers in Dan Harris’s lab began developing a rapidly-deployable ventilator, addressing critical shortages worldwide. The design utilizes 3D-printed mechanical components, off-the-shelf parts and open-source electronics that allow for easy use in resource-limited settings. Called Brun02, the team—which now includes collaborators from other universities—is working to submit a specific variant of the BrunO2 ventilator prototype to the United States for review under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) authority. Brown recently signed a collaboration agreement with Stanford and the University of Utah for continued work on this project. See the Brun02 website for more.