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. 2022 Mar 25:126:126055.
doi: 10.6028/jres.126.055. eCollection 2021.

Models for an Ultraviolet-C Research and Development Consortium

Affiliations

Models for an Ultraviolet-C Research and Development Consortium

Dianne L Poster et al. J Res Natl Inst Stand Technol. .

Abstract

The development of an international, precompetitive, collaborative, ultraviolet (UV) research consortium is discussed as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a new UV commercial industry and the supply chain to support this industry. History has demonstrated that consortia can offer promising approaches to solve many common, current industry challenges, such as the paucity of data regarding the doses of ultraviolet-C (UV-C, 200 nm to 280 nm) radiation necessary to achieve the desired reductions in healthcare pathogens and the ability of mobile disinfection devices to deliver adequate doses to the different types of surfaces in a whole-room environment. Standard methods for testing are only in the initial stages of development, making it difficult to choose a specific UV-C device for a healthcare application. Currently, the public interest in UV-C disinfection applications is elevated due to the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the respiratory coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). By channeling the expertise of different UV industry stakeholder sectors into a unified international consortium, innovation in UV measurements and data could be developed to support test methods and standards development for UV healthcare equipment. As discussed in this paper, several successful examples of consortia are applicable to the UV industry to help solve these types of common problems. It is anticipated that a consortium for the industry could lead to UV applications for disinfection becoming globally prolific and commonplace in residential, work, business, and school settings as well as in transportation (bus, rail, air, ship) environments. Aggressive elimination of infectious agents by UV-C technologies would also help to reduce the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Keywords: UV-C; capacity building; collaboration; disinfection; hospitals; innovation; market growth; partnerships; pathogens; public health; ultraviolet; viruses.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Bright field scanning transmission electron micrograph (BF-STEM) of the coronavirus using a Hitachi SU9000. (Left) Coronavirus shown is about 150 nm in diameter (field of view ≈ 845 nm). (Right) Smaller field-of-view image of the coronavirus showing the spike proteins (field of view ≈ 280 nm). Images are courtesy of Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, personal communication, Michael Postek.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Bridging the metaphorical “valley of death,” the gap between an idea and a product in the manufacturing landscape, requires more than innovation. Integration of success factors, such as science, personnel, intellectual property, infrastructure, and capital, is necessary, along with shared solutions for broad industry challenges that no one can do, or do alone, because of risk or lack of capacity [9]. Standards are essential along the manufacturing-innovation process to ensure the quality and comparability of the product in the production environment, and beyond, with other products on the market. Standards also ensure customers ultimately receive a product that will perform as expected. Figure credit: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Primary needs to be considered in partnerships for a dynamic innovation process that leads to lasting effects in an innovation-driven economy, adapted from Young [29] and Pakes and Sokoloff [30]. The U.S. economic vitality requires a substantial investment in research and development that is leveraged through government, university, and industry partnerships, with consortia being a cornerstone (bottom right) to make this possible. For example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provides opportunities for partnerships so that businesses can utilize NASA’s capabilities and resources to further their capabilities and NASA’s missions. A factor equally important to the dynamic innovation process is a communication process that engages all entities. See Sec. 5.3 for a discussion on the importance of communication and perception strategies in partnership models supporting new technologies.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) consortium model, demonstrating the IUCRC’s primary role in translating research from concept to commercialization. Credit: National Science Foundation [33]. Industry, in green, provides funding for research and insight for industrially relevant projects and helps lead to commercialization of projects, as shown in the bottom portion of the figure in green on the time line of technology readiness.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Possible models for precompetitive collaboration as applicable to the UV industry with examples showing risks, challenges, and benefits, adapted from the Institute of Medicine Extending the Spectrum of Precompetitive Collaboration in Oncology Research: Workshop Summary [49].
Fig. 6
Fig. 6. The “Hylton” model of facilitated technology transfer [59]. IP is “intellectual property”.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7. Scanning electron micrograph of Clostridioides difficile as described in the text (field of view ≈ 40.3 µm) [61].
Fig. 8
Fig. 8. Left: NIST’s Yuqin Zong and Cameron Miller in the new, fully automated NIST photometry laboratory. Right: A row of identical photometers (light detectors) sitting on one of the new automated equipment tables in the NIST laboratory. Multiple identical detectors are used for each measurement so that researchers can ensure the readings are accurate [73]. Credit: Jennifer Lauren Lee/NIST.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9. Left: Researchers work collaboratively at the NIST Center for Neutron Research as part of the nSoft Consortium. Right: The 10 m small-angle neutron scattering instrument accessible to members of the consortium. The technique enables structural observations to be connected to processes used in manufacturing, including shear, high pressure, high temperature, and environmental exposure. It is foundational for the development of structure-property-performance relationships in solid materials, liquids, and mixtures [76, 79]. Credit: NIST.

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