Water Supply & Quality

Our water supply and quality cluster will study water availability by examining the impacts of heavy rainfall and drought. We will also evaluate water-related health risks such as exposures to emerging pollutants and diseases spread by vectors, such as Dengue. We will also study germs in water to understand when and where disease outbreaks might happen and how they impact communities. Finally, we will explore solutions to reduce the health risks linked to water supply and quality.

Research Focus

  • Apply DNA and RNA analysis to study water microbiomes as early indicators of contamination to ensure water quality.
  • Research the behavior and virulence of pathogens in marine environments to better assess the risks.
  • Develop technologies using extremophiles for efficient bioproduction and sustainable energy, enhancing water treatment processes.
  • Integrate insights from biology, environmental engineering, and oceanography to create comprehensive solutions for water supply and quality challenges.

Assoc Prof. Janelle Thompson, Asian School of the Environment
Assoc Prof. Janelle Thompson
Water Quality and Extremophile Biotechnology
Asian School of the Environment

Selected Publications

1. Thompson, J. R., Nancharaiah, Y. V., Gu, X., Lee, W. L., Rajal, V. B., Haines, M. B., Girones, R., Ng, L. C., Alm, E. J., & Wuertz, S. (2020). Making waves: Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 for population-based health management. Water Research, 184, 116181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116181

2. Lee, W. L., Gu, X., Armas, F., Leifels, M., Wu, F., Chandra, F., Chua, F. J. D., Syenina, A., Chen, H., Cheng, D., Ooi, E. E., Wuertz, S., Alm, E. J., & Thompson, J. (2022). Monitoring human arboviral diseases through wastewater surveillance: Challenges, progress and future opportunities. Water Research, 223, 118904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118904

3. Armas, F., Chandra, F., Lee, W. L., Gu, X., Chen, H., Xiao, A., Leifels, M., Wuertz, S., Alm, E. J., & Thompson, J. (2023) Contextualizing Wastewater-Based surveillance in the COVID-19 vaccination era. Environment International, Volume 171,107718, ISSN 0160-4120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107718