Developing sustainable construction materials with antimicrobial properties to combat airborne infections in indoor environments

In this blog, we hear from Irish Research Council DOROTHY MSCA COFUND awardee Dr Gurbir Kaur on her research that will address healthcare associated infections (HAIs) by developing a sustainable construction material with antimicrobial properties to treat health-threatening bio-aerosols or airborne infections originating from microorganisms.

Dr Gurbir Kaur is developing sustainable construction materials with antimicrobial properties to combat airborne infections in indoor environments. Her research targets two major concerns that the world is currently grappling with: the increase in healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and the escalating carbon emissions driving climate change. As an example, HAIs can occur within 48 hours of hospital admission and can be attributed to the microbial rich environment. Microorganisms are on all surfaces within the hospital environment, Dr Kaur will design and implement new strategies in which to reduce or inactivate these microorganisms.

The materials in this research use waste as partial cement replacement promoting the recycling of waste, encouraging the circular economy, and the use of materials of low-embodied carbon and low energy input. The objective of this proposal is to develop a sustainable construction material to treat health-threatening bio-aerosols or airborne infections originating from microorganisms. To improve the sensitivity of the photocatalyst for indoor lighting applications, strategies involving doping (the process of adding such impurities known as dopants, to the bulk or a film of the material) will be explored. This is an interdisciplinary project that involves building materials, material science and microbiology. Dr Kaur is supported by her mentors Prof José Ignacio Álvarez Galindo of University of Navarra (Spain) – outgoing phase university and Prof Sara Pavia of Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) – return phase university.

In the words of Gurbir “My ultimate goal is to develop, implement, and disseminate technology to build a more sustainable built environment. I wish to use advanced skills and training acquired during the DOROTHY fellowship to pursue my goal. The DOROTHY fellowship is one of its kind for it offers wide-ranging training opportunities (training in research-related skills and transferable skills), which will help me not only to enhance my research skills but also offer a valuable exposure to better communicate my research findings to a variety of relevant stakeholders. Being interdisciplinary in nature, the project combines material science (chemistry/nanotechnology) with construction engineering (sustainable materials/waste management) and microbiology (bacterial inactivation). The project demonstrates a strong interdisciplinary approach that aligns well with the DOROTHY fellowship’s goals of promoting intersectoral and interdisciplinary research to address public health challenges” – Gurbir Kaur.

In September 2024, a seminar will be organized in the Department of Chemistry, University of Navarra, where Dr Kaur will present the research objectives and proposed methodology of the ongoing project and the DOROTHY programme. It will expose STEM students to an interdisciplinary research approach to solve global problems using innovative solutions. The seminar will serve as an informal education setting or outreach program to educate the students about the role of research in solving public health crises.

Dr Kaur will also present the research findings of the ongoing project in the “Science Experimental Conference 2025” organized at University of Navarra between March -April 2025.

Contact Dr Kaur @ MATCH Research Group Page  and Gurbir Linkedin for more details.