Three DCU projects have been successful under the €10.5 million COVID-19 Research and Innovation programme announced by the government.

In total 39 projects have been announced as part a co-ordinated COVID-19 Rapid Response Research, Development and Innovation programme with projects supported by Science Foundation Ireland, in partnership with the Department for the Economy and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, and the Irish Research Council and Health Research Board.

The three DCU projects are being led by Professor Stephen Daniels, DCU School of Engineering; Dr Rob Brennan, DCU School of Computing; and Professor Finian Buckley, DCU Business School.

Details of those projects are as follows:

1. A disinfecting fog to prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors

Professor Stephen Daniels from DCU’s School of Engineering is working with Prof Hilary Humphreys, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Prof Brendan Gilmore, Queen’s University Belfast School of Pharmacy, to see how to keep surfaces in hospitals free from viruses where routine hospital cleaning may not be effective. 

Supported by SFI and the Northern Ireland Department of the Economy, the team will use low-power cold plasma technology to activate water and safely ‘fog’ rooms to deactivate SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces.

The researchers have already shown that the activated water generated by cold plasma can deactivate spore-forming bacteria. If the research shows that the approach is successful against COVID-19, it could offer a safe way to clean surfaces in the clinic without the need to evacuate people from the area, and reduce the risk of catching COVID-19.  

Prof Daniels, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging as it spreads so easily by contact with contaminated surfaces, by droplets in the air and possibly by smaller particles or aerosols.

"Surface cleaning, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, and social distancing/masks are applicable everywhere. However, currently it is difficult to inactivate the virus indoors if present in the air, and then it can spread in hospitals, meat processing plants and in other closed or confined environments. Interventions such as the use of ultra-violet light and hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate air can on only be used in empty spaces or rooms due to toxicity, and their use is therefore challenging in settings where people must be present most if not all of the time.”

2. ARK-Virus – A systematic approach to safer infection prevention and control 

Healthcare and community organisations are facing unprecedented levels of change due to the pandemic and the need to use PPE according to the latest guidelines.

Funded by SFI, Dr Rob Brennan from DCU’s School of Computing is leading a project called ARK-Virus which uses digital technology and organisational change management to make it easier for people in healthcare and community settings to monitor and reduce the risks associated with using PPE.

It will reduce the work involved in monitoring PPE use and lead to safer healthcare and community environments. The project roll-out is in St James’s Hospital before growing into a digitally-supported, national community of practice for PPE.

Dr Rob Brennan said: “This project will enable us to build a broad community around PPE and infection control to help evidence-based best practice to rapidly spread through our healthcare system and communities. Our agenda is supported by digital systems that streamline communication and enhance workers rather than replacing them.”

3. Trust, experts and COVID-19 – the influence of psychology on our decisions

Professor Finian Buckley from the DCU Business School is leading new research which explores the relationship between trust in political and medical leaders and how individuals respond to healthcare advice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If citizens are to accept and follow the advice of medical and political leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that they trust in those leaders and trust what they are communicating.

Funded by the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council, this project will explore how varying trust levels have affected people’s responses to official guidance during the pandemic.

It will look at the psychological processes that influence whether citizens trust leaders, and how those trust-based decisions in turn influence their behaviour, particularly as new events unfold. The project will also seek to understand citizen compliance with advice.

By gaining insights into how trust in leaders affects people’s individual responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and why citizens do or don’t comply with advice, the research will help to anticipate future psychological and health needs during and after the pandemic.

Lead researcher Prof Buckley, professor of work and organisational psychology, DCU Business School, said: “By understanding the factors that influence the perception of the trustworthiness of leaders’ (medical and political) communication regarding Covid restrictions or vaccine advice, future crisis management communication can be perfected to meet citizen needs.”

Significant investment

Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said: “I’m delighted to announce this significant investment into furthering our understanding of COVID-19 and finding solutions to the challenges the pandemic has presented to our society and economy.

"As we move closer to commencing a vaccination programme, we need to understand that the virus has not gone away – supporting our expert researchers in our higher education institutions will help us to safely reopen our society.

“This latest research also includes nine all-island research projects, which is really exciting. COVID-19 does not know any borders. Working together across this island will help us in our fight.” 

Stephen Donnelly, TD, Minister for Health, said: “Research has been a key part of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to rely on research in the months ahead. This year, we have not just experienced a pandemic, we have also seen an infodemic. There has been an overload of often unreliable information.

"We have seen examples of this in relation to the use of vaccines and on unproven medicines. As we plan to introduce a COVID-19 vaccination programme, it is essential that we tackle things like misinformation.

"Many of these research projects will provide evidence to help us do that. I look forward to using the findings from this research for the benefit of Irish people, the health system and society.”