The Need

Indoor moisture and mold remain persistent challenges for residential, commercial, healthcare, and institutional buildings. Existing mold assessment methods often measure the presence of fungal species or biomass but struggle to distinguish active mold growth from normal background microbial populations. As a result, building owners, environmental consultants, remediators, and public health professionals often lack a quantitative and objective tool for identifying problematic moisture-driven mold activity, assessing remediation effectiveness, or evaluating exposure risk.

The Technology

OSU engineers have developed a novel molecular detection approach that identifies biological signatures associated with active mold growth rather than simply detecting mold presence. A small panel of proprietary molecular markers have been designed to detect conserved functional responses that occur when fungi become active under moisture-favorable conditions. Because the approach targets growth-associated biological activity, it has the potential to provide a more direct indication of active mold development across diverse indoor fungal communities and building types.

Commercial Applications

• Building moisture and mold assessment services
• Indoor air quality and environmental testing laboratories
• Post-remediation verification and restoration monitoring
• Smart building, facility management, and property risk assessment platforms

Benefits/Advantages

• Detects indicators of active mold growth rather than fungal presence alone
• Designed to perform across diverse fungal communities
• Provides a quantitative, objective measurement