CIBSE Home Counties South East & The Bartlett, University College London

CIBSE UCL Invited Lectures 2010

Date: 19th May (Wednesday)
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Location: UCL Haldane Room Wilkins Building (access is from the Gower Street entrance - for directions go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/ )

The doors will open at 6:00pm, when there will be light refreshments available free of charge. The meeting will commence at 6:30pm.

As for all our regular meetings, there is no charge for attendance and no need to register. Our meetings are open to all with an interest in the subject.

About the Speaker

Dr. Ka man Lai is director of the Healthy Infrastructure Research Centre (HIRC) with the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at University College London. HIRC was set up to tackle urban pathogens and disease transmission through holistic engineering solutions. Infection transmission is one of the biggest global threats in the 21st century. From the growing list of antibiotic resistant bugs found in hospitals and communities, to the numerous emerging new diseases, such as SARS and avian flu, we are in a constant battle with deadly pathogens. Built environments take a key role in the battle against infection. The physical environment can help to deactivate or remove pathogens. However, it can become a source or harbour of pathogens and create an environment to facilitate disease transmission.

Dr Lai will discuss the following topics of importance to industry:

1. linkages between infrastructure and infectious disease transmission

2. instrumentation to recognise and treat pathogens and the means of evaluating change

3. delivering solutions and future needs

Dr Lai stated:

“Making links to the real world is one of our principles. So far we are collaborating with hospitals, HPA and schools to investigate the role of built environments on pathogens and disease transmission pathways. We have built a climate controlled chamber for bio-aerosol and other infrastructure and disease transmission research. Perhaps, one day, airborne and other diseases which depend on our infrastructure for transmission will become history.”