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Research and development cooperation between UMCS, Lublin Municipal Commune, Urban Undertaking Waterworks and Sewerage in Lublin and Nexbio

The Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, the Lublin Municipal Commune, Urban Undertaking Waterworks and Sewerage in Lublin and the Nexbio company have signed a research and development cooperation agreement. The event took place on 26th April 2021, in the spaces of Centrum Ecotech-Complex.

The subject of the contract is joint research and implementation work on the detection of threats to humans and the environment, including the analysis and biological and chemical monitoring of Lublin wastewater for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in it.

The press conference was attended by: UMCS Rector - Prof. Radosław Dobrowolski, Mayor of Lublin - Dr. Krzysztof Żuk, President of the Management Board of MPWiK Sp. z o. o. in Lublin - Sławomir Matyjaszczyk, Vice President of the Management Board of MPWiK Sp. z o. o. in Lublin - Krzysztof Wójtowicz, President of the Management Board of Nexbio Sp. z o. o. - Maciej Maniecki, Head of the Nexbio Laboratory - Jakub Wójcik, Vice-Rector for development and cooperation with the economy - dr hab. Zbigniew Pastuszak, prof. UMCS, Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences - prof. Anna Jarosz-Wilkołazka, Deputy Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences - prof. Agnieszka Szuster-Ciesielska.

The UMCS Rector opened the press conference, Prof. Radosław Dobrowolski. - I am pleased to meet again at the conference on the research and development cooperation agreement and the health aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. Synergic cooperation results from the possibility of monitoring municipal wastewater in the context of the presence of, among others, the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The agreement also has a much wider dimension of cooperation - it will concern implementation and research works and didactic and educational activities - said the Rector of UMCS.

Then, the President of the City of Lublin, Dr Krzysztof Żuk, spoke: - I am sure that the cooperation established between the City of Lublin, UMCS, MPWiK and Nexbio will create the possibility of synergistic use of the potential of all partners. When thinking about intensive and innovative development, we must remember the importance of cooperation between local government, science and business. As Lublin, we prove that, on the one hand, we can be the initiator of such projects, and on the other hand, the recipient of the results of scientific research conducted at Lublin universities. UMCS and the City of Lublin are important links between science and business. Cooperating, we use human resources owned by all parties, at the same time stimulating the demand for specific qualifications and skills among graduates and building the involvement of employers in the education processes at Lublin universities - he emphasized.

President of the Management Board of MPWiK Sp. Z o. o. in Lublin, Sławomir Matyjaszczyk, in turn, spoke about how the idea for the implementation of the project covered by the signed contract was created, as well as about the need to develop cooperation with various entities: after analyzing the research that has been conducted in this area around the world. We decided that we, also in Lublin, can undertake it in cooperation with the appropriate partner. After combining the resources of MPWiK with academic knowledge and business, gives us additional opportunities and opens up space for extensive cooperation in the study of water and sewage.

Maciej Maniecki, the President of the Management Board of Nexbio, emphasized how important the project is for academic Lublin, the city and business: - The first step we took at the turn of the year, today may turn into research and research projects, the results of which will serve us all - to the whole of society. We can be only one and the first one in Europe to do something like this. We accept the invitation to this project with enthusiasm. Today, the challenge facing all of us is to make good use of Lublin's academic potential and the economic development of our region. This synergy of universities, research potential, and innovations born within the walls of universities, with the local government and private business, should constitute a value.

Prof. Agnieszka Szuster-Ciesielska, Deputy Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences, UMCS: - I would like to make you aware of the importance of this project. Wastewater monitoring is inevitable on a national scale. We undertake these tasks for the first time in Poland. Such studies are already carried out in some European countries, e.g. in Scandinavia or Belgium, where viral outbreaks were discovered quite early. Thanks to this cooperation, we will identify threats related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the city, indicating specific districts and streets. We plan to expand our research and prepare for future threats. We are aware that new virological threats will affect us soon. We are also planning research on other factors that will allow us to monitor the health of our city, and later the region.

- Cooperation within the so-called triple helix, i.e. administration, science and business, fits very well in Lublin. We have effects in developing the so-called Lublin IT Upland, but new initiatives are also constantly emerging. The project we are announcing today has enormous opportunities to apply for further grants and obtain funds used in our region. I also see enormous opportunities for engineers experienced in conducting advanced laboratory works - added Dr Zbigniew Pastuszak, prof. UMCS, Vice-Rector for Development and Cooperation with the Economy.

Conducting this type of research by scientists from Lublin in cooperation with the Lublin Municipal Commune, Urban Undertaking Waterworks and Sewerage in Lublin and Nexbio is a good prospect because we cannot rule out future threats. It is also the basis for creating and implementing interesting projects. Shortly, in addition to the issues related to the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Lublin's wastewater, the subject of microbiological monitoring of wastewater and metabolites of drugs and drugs among the inhabitants of Lublin, as well as the correlation of the increase in COVID-19 infections with temperature changes, seems to be extremely interesting.

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    Author
    Monika Kusiej
    Date of addition
    27 April 2021