Research

Establishing a European wastewater pathogen monitoring network employing aviation samples: a proof of concept

Morfino R, Gawlik BM, Tavazzi S, Tessarolo A, Gutierrez AB, Madhav NK, et al.

Assesses the feasibility of building a cross-national pathogen surveillance network from aircraft and airport wastewater, and proposes “Super Sites” at major transport hubs as its backbone. Carried out with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and HERA.

Hum Genomics. 2025;19:24

Leveraging a Strategic Public-Private Partnership to Launch an Airport-Based Pathogen Monitoring Program to Detect Emerging Health Threats

Friedman CR, Morfino RC, Ernst ET

Accounts for how a public–private partnership between CDC and industry stood up the airport-based traveler genomic surveillance program, and what that model requires in order to work.

Emerg Infect Dis. 2025;31(13):35–38

Notes from the Field: Early Identification of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 Variant by the Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program — Dulles International Airport, August 2023

Bart SM, Rothstein AP, Philipson CW, Smith TC, Simen BB, Tamin A, et al.

Reports the Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program identifying the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 variant at Dulles International Airport.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:1168–1169

Notes from the Field: Aircraft Wastewater Surveillance for Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Variants — John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, August–September 2022

Morfino RC, Bart SM, Franklin A, Rome BH, Rothstein AP, Aichele TWS, et al.

Evaluates whether SARS-CoV-2 variants can be detected in aircraft wastewater from inbound international flights, using samples collected at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:210–211

Effect of Predeparture Testing on Postarrival SARS-CoV-2-Positive Test Results Among International Travelers — CDC Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program, Four U.S. Airports, March–September 2022

Bart SM, Smith TC, Guagliardo SAJ, Walker AT, Rome BH, Li SL, et al.

Examines what predeparture testing requirements did to post-arrival SARS-CoV-2 positivity among international travelers across four US airports.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:206–209

Early Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants Using Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance at 4 US Airports, September 2021–January 2022

Wegrzyn RD, Appiah GD, Morfino R, Milford SR, Walker AT, Ernst ET, et al.

Reports early detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants through voluntary pooled testing of arriving international air travelers at four US airports.

Clin Infect Dis. 2023;76(3):e540–e543

Zippering Antibody Transducer Nanomachine

A modified consumer inkjet for spatiotemporal control of gene expression

Cohen DJ, Morfino RC, Maharbiz MM

Adapts a consumer inkjet printer into a low-cost instrument for controlling induced gene expression in space and time. Conducted in the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley.

PLoS One. 2009;4(9):e7086