Protection from ‘flying germs’: the HyFly research project investigates pathogens in airports and aviation. Coordinated by FSU Jena (Friedrich Schiller University) as part of the InfectControl 2020 consortium, it is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to the tune of €2.6 million. Materials science experts from Jena will investigate the role played by materials and their surfaces in the spread of infections. Ultraviolet radiation has been proposed as an alternative to chemical disinfection procedures, and HyFly will pay particular attention to the effectiveness of UV LEDs. In the course of the three-year cooperation, the partners from science and industry want to develop effective strategies for monitoring and handling the spread of pathogens in aviation. (maa)
