Two projects from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) receive up to S$4 million in research fund from the Environment & Water Industry Development Council (EWI) under its second Challenge Call for Request-for-Proposals (RFP) in the area of rapid microbial detection.
The winning proposal from Associate Professor Thomas Gong Haiqing aims to develop a "fully integrated genetic analyzer for ultra-rapid, unattended, on-line monitoring of Cryptosporidium in water".
Elaborating on his project, Associate Professor Gong says, "Our proposal introduces a novel portable integrated technology that is able to filter large volumes of water and detect the micro organism using genetic testing method. Using this process, the results can be developed within an hour, thus less time and manpower are required as compared to the conventional method. This will enable a more prompt implementation of control measures when necessary."
The other winning project "Biophotonic chip for a single cell detection (i.e. Cryptosporidium) in drinking water" is led by Associate Professor Liu Ai Qun.
Commenting on the proposal, Associate Professor Liu says, "The system, which uses biophotonic chip, effectively monitors and detects Cryptosporidium in drinking water without preparation or setup. It is able to identify Cryptosporidium based on its size and light scattering properties. With this technology, we hope to lay a foundation for the next generation of water monitoring instrument and develop Singapore into a world-leader of clean water and environmental technology hub."
NTU is committed to environmental and water technologies research and development in strategic alignment with Singapore's thrust to become a Global Hydro Hub. In 2008, NTU opened the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) to nurture the next generation of first-class researchers that will help transform Singapore into a global business and technological hub for environment and water research.