The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. 

In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).  The department in collaboration with other research partners is contributing to the global fight against TB and BU by conducting studies that aim to contribute to the control of these diseases by improving understanding of disease epidemiology, genetic diversity within the causative agent, host-pathogen interactions and laboratory diagnosis.  In order to make our research findings beneficial for disease control, we work closely with endemic communities and these field activities are carried out in close collaboration with the respective national control programmes and district health management team of the Ghana Health Service.

Our work involves collection/receiving of pathological samples, bacteriological culture and conventional characterisation as well as genomic diversity analysis.  Within our TB research, we have established active DNA fingerprinting, using methods such as spoligotyping, MIRU/VNTR, RD and SNP, analysis as well as mutational analysis in drug target genes.  Thus our laboratory serves as reference laboratories for both TB and BU, and also gives us the capacity to be involved in the evaluation of effectiveness of interventions such as diagnostics and vaccines.

The Department in its role as the National TB Reference Laboratory is involved in the organization and maintenance of the National TB Laboratory Network, development of training manuals and organization of laboratory training and implementation of nationwide TB laboratory Quality Assurance, and anti-TB drug resistance surveillance.

Since 2013 we  have been actively involved in Yaws research activities through collaborative research with the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ghana National Yaws Eradication Program and the Ghana Health Service with support from the Spanish NGO, Anesvad Foundation.