SCALE in Action
On the ground with the SCALE team
SCALE is building the world's first continuous, direct nucleic-acid detection system, sensing what's in school air in real time and automatically instructing buildings to protect every student and staff member inside.
Led by Poppy Health · ARPA-H BREATHE Program
Watch the molecular journey of bioaerosols through the BREATHE System, from being concentrated nine orders of magnitude to acoustic lysis and real time organism detection, followed by building response and clean air verification. We are developing the future of indoor health, today.
Sources: NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) 2025; AAFA / CDC NHIS; CDC / AAFA; CDC NCHS Data Brief 545 (2024); Nurmagambetov et al., Annals ATS, 2018 via CDC.
Like the human immune system, it works in three stages, then keeps adapting.
The world's first real-time, continuous, direct nucleic acid detection of up to 100 airborne organisms: allergens, molds, viruses, bacteria. Air is accelerated to the speed of sound; concentrated nine orders of magnitude for detection. Sensors regenerate and are designed to run for extended periods without human intervention.
An intelligent assessment engine that turns what's in the air into real-time, building-specific proactive health actions. Detection and environmental data flows into the system's risk model, updated continuously as scientists deepen understanding of how organisms in bioaerosols drive human disease.
Responsive building controls (ventilation, filtration, and air treatment) that act preemptively, before exposures occur. Clean air delivery is targeted and verified using real-time air tracing technology, confirming the exact clean airflow being delivered matches what the system targeted. Closing the loop as no building has before.
Software-updateable as new organisms and exposures emerge. Interchangeable cartridges allow the system to adapt to different environments and different threats. An immune system for every building, proactively maintaining health today and into the future.
Real-time detection and automatic response to mold, allergens, respiratory viruses, and fungal spores: the exposures driving asthma, allergic rhinitis, and respiratory illness in children.
Fewer sick days means higher daily attendance, and higher per-pupil state funding that goes with it. SCALE turns air quality from a health issue into a school performance issue.
As new organisms and risks emerge, the system updates via software; no hardware replacement required. Schools are protected against threats that don't yet have names.
Low maintenance, designed to integrate with existing HVAC infrastructure. Parent- and school-facing software gives families and administrators a real-time window into the air their kids are breathing.
At the ARPA-H Healthy Buildings Demo Day in Washington DC, the SCALE team is demonstrating the full Poppy BREATHE platform, hands-on, live, and real.
Release inert DNA and watch as the system senses, assesses, and responds in real time. Track every step on a live dashboard showing aerosol levels, air quality, and the building's response.
Handle the cartridges at the heart of the world's first continuous, direct nucleic acid sensor. The molecular-scale engineering that makes real-time organism detection possible in a building-integrated device.
Interact with the parent- and school-facing software on your own device or a provided iPad. See what the system sees, in plain language, in real time.
Explore a full school building using a 3D walkthrough showing real-time tracer measurements: how clean air is targeted and verified room by room. Seeing the invisible.
SCALE deploys a full stack of sensing, control, and filtration technology, with Daikin Industries, the world's largest indoor air company, as industry transition partner.
Daikin Controller: interconnects all system devices. Tidal Air Cleaner: smart-plug enabled, open-source design.
SCALE is deploying across schools in major U.S. climate zones, building an affordable and practical smart school air platform.
Confirmed performer and participant states shown. Rolling out to 40–60 public schools in 2027.
Sep 2025 · Official ARPA-H BREATHE award-team announcement naming Poppy as a selected team
Dec 2025 · Official Poppy SCALE award announcement
Dec 2025 · Attune's role providing indoor/outdoor air quality and energy monitoring for school deployments
Jan 2026 · Primary.Health's role supporting school health reporting, symptom tracking, testing, and outcomes measurement
Feb 2026 · UNMC investigator leading sensing technology for real-time bioaerosol detection
Feb 2026 · CU Anschutz role evaluating health outcomes and school-air interventions in the Poppy-led SCALE project
Mar 2026 · Draper's role contributing microfluidic pathogen isolation and lysis expertise
Mar 2026 · Penn State's $2.3M role developing genetic biosensors across schools nationwide
Apr 2026 · Coverage of Poppy Health and Primary.Health's airborne-pathogen-detection system for schools
Official ARPA-H SCALE award page for Poppy Health
Principal Investigator · Co-CEO, Poppy Health
Sam Molyneux is the Principal Investigator for the BREATHE SCALE program and Co-CEO of Poppy Health. As PI, he leads the overall technical and program strategy for the work of the project.
Molyneux is a technology leader, scientist, and entrepreneur with experience delivering breakthrough solutions and integrated technology platforms across biotechnology, data, artificial intelligence, and building science. He led the development and national scaling of the first commercial air-based viral and metagenomic (pan-organism) detection system used in 25 cities in North America and Europe. His team's work in real-time air tracing methods contributed to the ASHRAE 241 Normative Appendix C Test for the HVAC industry. He previously co-founded Meta, an early AI company, and was GM of the Meta Team at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
TA1 Lead · Biosensor Science Lead
Dr. Josh Santarpia is the Technical Area 1 (TA1) Lead and Biosensor Science Lead for the BREATHE SCALE program. He leads the biosensor science effort, including fundamental science, proof-of-concept development, and validation of core biosensor claims.
Dr. Santarpia is an internationally recognized expert in airborne pathogen sensing science and technology. He has extensive experience developing and deploying pathogen detection systems for biodefense applications, including biodetection systems on unmanned aerial vehicles for the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. His background spans aerosol physics, atmospheric chemistry, infectious disease microbiology, and bioaerosol risk assessment.
Biosensor Design and Integration Lead
Dr. Frankie Myers is the Biosensor Design and Integration Lead for the BREATHE SCALE program. He leads device prototyping, build, and delivery for the TA1 biosensor, overseeing software, system design, prototype assembly, product integration, and coordination with manufacturing partners.
Dr. Myers is the Founder and President of Mosaic Design Labs, a biomedical instrumentation and microfluidics engineering firm. He holds a PhD in bioengineering and brings 20 years of experience developing and manufacturing microfluidic solutions for molecular diagnostics, cell biology, and global health across academic and industry settings. Earlier in his career, he worked with Dan Fletcher at UC Berkeley on CellScope diagnostic devices, then became a founding team member and Director of Engineering at Lucira Health, where he led development of the first home-use microfluidic molecular diagnostic test to receive FDA authorization.
TA2 Lead · Respiratory Risk Assessment Software
Dr. Marwa Zaatari is the Technical Area 2 (TA2) Lead for the BREATHE SCALE program, leading development of the Respiratory Risk Assessment Software. She guides the indoor air exposure risk model that translates pathogen detections into actionable Equivalent Clean Air (ECA) targets and building interventions.
Dr. Zaatari is a global leader in building science, HVAC technology, and healthy indoor environments. She holds a Ph.D. in Architectural and Environmental Engineering and is deeply involved in ASHRAE, serving as a Distinguished Lecturer, vice chair of ASHRAE Standard 62.1, and chair of the risk assessment group for ASHRAE Standard 241. She also serves as vice-chair of the USGBC Board of Directors.
Program Co-Lead · Co-CEO, Poppy Health
Elizabeth Caley is co-lead for the program, responsible for software, school deployment strategy, partner coordination, finance, and operational execution for implementation of the BREATHE SCALE platform.
Caley is Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Poppy. She has spent more than 25 years building and leading fast-growing global technology companies. Before founding Poppy, she was Chief Operating Officer of Meta, an artificial intelligence company focused on accelerating scientific progress, which was acquired by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in 2017. Earlier in her career, she held executive roles at Microsoft, Hummingbird/OpenText, and Firmex. She holds MBAs from the University of Toronto and the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
TA3 Co-Lead · Schools Deployment
Andrew Kobylinski is co-lead for Technical Area 3 (TA3) Schools Deployment for the BREATHE SCALE program, helping lead deployment strategy and implementation for school-based use of the BREATHE SCALE platform.
Kobylinski is a digital health leader and the CEO of Primary, where he focuses on using technology to prevent disease spread and improve patient outcomes. He has built and led teams across healthcare technology companies including Quest Analytics, BetterDoctor, and Healthline Networks. His experience spans healthcare IT, software tools, data-driven insights, user-centered product development, and strategic partnerships.
SCALE is actively expanding to schools across the United States. Whether you're a school district, a researcher, or an industry partner, we want to hear from you.
schools@breathe2026.org