idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
This mobile laboratory can examine samples from humans, animals and the environment directly on site in the event of unexplained disease outbreaks, in line with the One Health approach. This is the idea behind the EU-funded MOBILISE project.
Not all countries and regions have fast transport options for samples or high-security laboratories for diagnostics, and access to certain areas is often restricted in crisis situations. In such cases, a mobile laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art molecular biological, serological and microbiological techniques for pathogen diagnostics can help detect outbreaks early and initiate appropriate treatment and control measures. This eliminates delays due to sample shipping or bureaucratic hurdles, providing a decisive advantage in containing outbreaks.
Mobile, vehicle-based laboratories have previously been used in Africa, for example during the Ebola, Coronavirus and mPox outbreaks. However, due to their size and immobility, these laboratory trucks usually weigh 30–40 tonnes and are therefore rarely able to reach the outbreak site.
The MOBILISE laboratory was therefore designed according to a completely different principle: the base vehicle is a small, four-wheel drive, all-terrain truck, and the laboratory space can be expanded by a factor of three during operation thanks to extendable side walls. The entire laboratory area is kept under constant negative pressure and supplied with fresh air via bacteria- and virus-proof filters. All solid and liquid waste is autoclaved. Energy is supplied in an environmentally friendly manner via solar cells, rechargeable batteries and a small wind turbine (in development). A diesel generator can also be connected.
The laboratory vehicle was built by MDSC Systems OU in Estonia. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) is testing the prototype at its main site on the island of Riems until 20 June. Following initial test runs in Austria and Germany, further tests will be conducted in Greece and East Africa. Before 'MOBILISE' can be used in practice, additional operating licences must be obtained.
The EU project is coordinated by the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg. The consortium also includes the following partners: the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) GmbH (Austria); Exus (Greece); AGES (Austria); Filiala de Cruce Rosie Sector 5 (Romania); BEIA Consult International SRL (Romania); and Ethnikos Organismos Dimosias Ygeias (Greece).
https://mobilise-lab.eu/ MOBILISE Website
https://www.fli.de/en/institute/institut-fuer-neue-und-neuartige-tierseuchenerre... FLI on MOBILISE
THE MOBILISE four-wheel drive truck
Mandy Jörn
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
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