Maria Badalova (left) and Domenic Varacalli (right) testing samples in the lab. (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/University of Windsor)
By Sara Elliott
With respiratory viruses surfacing this cold and flu season, University of Windsor researchers are asking ill members of the campus community to voluntarily provide saliva samples for viral research.
The Saliva Screening Lab, which is part of a research project led by Dr.Kenneth Ng and supported by the New Frontiers in Research Fund, is appealing campus-wide to those feeling under the weather to help advance virus surveillance.
Ng says the team is trying to build on what was learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and to be better prepared for future challenges from emerging pathogens.
“This project is attempting to develop an effective and convenient system for monitoring seasonal viruses that could also be adapted quickly to deal with future pandemics,” says Ng.
“By testing the effectiveness of our system on seasonal viruses, we hope to learn how to build an effective surveillance system that could quickly respond to new pathogens emerging in future outbreaks or pandemics.”
Volunteers’ samples will be screened for common respiratory viruses including the two most common types of “flu” virus (Influenza A and Influenza B), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The researchers are also working on a measles test.
“Measles is an interesting example, because it had become very rare in Canada over the past 30 years, until over 5000 cases occurred in 2025,” Ng says.
“In response to the resurgence of measles during this past year, the Saliva Screening Lab has worked hard to add a new test that will help to monitor measles if it spreads more widely in the future. Measles provides a test case for how quickly we can respond to a new or re-emerging pathogen.”
This interdisciplinary research project includes important contributions from Dr. Kendall Soucie and Mahshid Soleimani (PhD candidate) from the Department of Psychology, who helped design the surveillance platform using survey data and will monitor the response of participants to testing procedures.
Members of the Saliva Lab are pictured left to right: Dr. Kenneth Ng, Dr. Ana Podadera, Jackie Fong, Domenic Varacalli, Maria Badalova, Mahshid Soleimani and Dr. Kendall Soucie. (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/University of Windsor)
Program manager Jackie Fong (MSc '21), and research assistants Maria Badalova (MSc candidate) and Domenic Varacalli (BSc '25) have developed the testing platform, including validating and optimizing procedures for collecting and processing samples, and quantifying viruses.
In addition to screening for common viral infections, research associate Dr. Ana Podadera will be genetically sequencing targeted regions from common viruses to identify the variants circulating in the community.
“Validating and optimizing sequencing procedures will allow the project to detect and discover changes in emerging viruses that may cause future outbreaks and pandemics,” says Ng.
“By setting up this system of collecting samples from volunteers, we hope to monitor the levels and sequences of some common viruses that are present on campus, providing valuable baseline information that can be compared to changes in the levels and sequences of viruses seen in the future.”
This project is a key part of a broader program of pathogen surveillance coordinated by Integrated Network for the Surveillance of Pathogens (INSPIRE) to prepare for future challenges from emerging pathogens.
To participate, volunteers can navigate to the study’s website, which contains all the information on the project, including how to pick up a kit before you get sick.