In direct response to the novel coronavirus pneumonia prevention and control needs, the Harbin Institute of Technology has accelerated its scientific research, according to HIT officials.
 
They said that as of February 24, HIT had started 111 projects to serve national and local virus fighting. The projects involve research into rapid virus detection technology, vaccine development, virus control technology, urban emergency responses and comprehensive management.
 
The institute introduced a "Green Disinfection Method and Technology Application" project conducted by the research team of Ma Jun—an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering. HIT officials said it has successfully adapted a combination of high-concentration ozone, active oxygen gas and high-concentration ozone solution to develop disinfection equipment for air, hospital wastewater and medical equipment.
 
To date, the technology has been applied at Harbin Taiping International Airport and in hospitals in Heilongjiang for air and wastewater disinfection.
 
Meanwhile, a coronavirus patient activity tracking map launched by a research team led by Wan Xian -- a professor at HIT’s Information Technology School — has made progress. It successfully achieved data sharing with the Harbin Institute of Surveying and Mapping and the map will soon be connected to the local virus prevention and control decision-making system.
 
Elsewhere, a research project on the rapid sterilization of medical supplies, such as disposable medical protective clothing, is in the works.
 
It is jointly being conducted by professor Xu Ping from the School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry of the HIT, the Institute of Technical Physics of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, the Heilongjiang Provincial Medicine Inspection and Research Center, Professor Xu Ping from the School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, the Institute of Technical Physics of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, the Heilongjiang Provincial Drug Inspection and Research Center, Qiqihar Hengxin Medical Supplies Co and Harbin Engineering University.
 
Officials said that HIT will give full priority to funding projects that can quickly achieve applications results, to increase the funding limit for emergency social security projects during the epidemic. The remaining projects will also be supported based on later results.
 
In addition, HIT has actively played the role of a decision-making and consulting service provider, as well as a university think tank -- reporting epidemic situation analysis and countermeasures research to relevant departments. 
 
As a result of this approach, research on Empirical Analysis and Matching Research of Emergency Response Strategies of the Economic Impact of Major Public Health Events, conducted by professor Bai Shuying from the HIT, has provided a key reference for the Heilongjiang government in its decision-making on fighting the virus.