USDA Awards $2 Million to University of Michigan for Breakthrough Research on Airborne Bird Flu Deactivation

University of Michigan researchers are using a $2M USDA grant to test plasma technology that deactivates airborne bird flu viruses in livestock environments.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 10:56 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Michigan

Engineering a Shield Against Avian Influenza

The persistent threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has devastated the American poultry industry, resulting in the loss of 175 million birds and over $1.4 billion in economic damage since 2022. To combat this, the University of Michigan Engineering department is spearheading a federally funded initiative to understand the airborne behavior of the virus. Supported by a $2 million grant from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, researchers are working to develop a scientific "playbook" for industrial farms. The goal is to move beyond the reactive mass culling of animals toward proactive engineering solutions that can intercept the virus before it spreads through ventilation systems.

The Power of Nonthermal Plasma Reactors

At the center of the university's strategy is the use of nonthermal plasma to render viral aerosols harmless. Led by Associate Professor Herek Clack, the team is testing reactors that expose contaminated air to powerful electric fields. These fields generate temporary electrical charges that structurally damage the virus, stripping it of its ability to infect livestock or humans. Previous iterations of this technology have demonstrated a 99.9% reduction in infectious airborne viruses. The current research will focus on optimizing these reactors for the messy, real-world conditions of industrial barns, where common pollutants like ammonia can often interfere with electronic deactivation methods.

Overcoming the Interference of Barn Pollutants

One of the primary challenges in protecting livestock is the chemical composition of the air in enclosed facilities. Ammonia and other agricultural byproducts tend to raise the pH level of the air, which can inhibit the effectiveness of plasma treatment. Professor Clack’s team is specifically investigating how nonthermal plasma—which naturally reduces pH—interacts with these alkaline pollutants. By understanding this chemical tug-of-war, the researchers hope to engineer plasma enhancements that remain lethal to viruses even in high-ammonia environments. This granular focus on air chemistry is essential for ensuring that lab-proven technologies actually function in the humid, crowded conditions of a commercial dairy or poultry farm.