ISLAMABAD: Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) of the UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) has awarded a project "Quantifying the Transmission Routes of Gastroenteritis" (GastroPak) to a consortium of researchers from the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) Pakistan, Earlham Institute UK, University of Warwick UK, Cranfield University UK, Institute of Development Studies UK, National University of Ireland Galway, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Brigham and Women's Hospital USA. The grant is worth GBP two million, out of which GBP 0.534 million, has been granted to NUST.

The project is being led by Professor Dr Christopher Quince from Earlham Institute and University of Warwick, while the NUST team is being represented by Professor Dr Imran Hashmi and Professor Dr Sher Jamal Khan from NUST Institute of Environmental Science & Engineering (IESE), and Dr Aneela Javed from NUST Atta-ur-Rehman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB).

The research is aimed at quantifying rate of different non-vital Gastroenteritis Transmission in Pakistan, including social, biological, chemical and technical factors through agriculture, sanitation, drinking water, food, and person-to-person contact.

The study will further ascertain the effectiveness of alternative wastewater treatment technologies for gastroenteric pathogen removal contrasting relatively low-technology methods, such as managed wetlands, with higher-technology membrane bioreactors.

Felicitating the researchers on this meritorious accomplishment, Lt Gen Naweed Zaman, HI (M), (Retd), Rector NUST, hoped that this phenomenal achievement would inspire more researchers from the university to acquire such international grants in the future and bring accolades to their university and the country.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020