National Reference Center for Mycobacteria

 

Medical Head of NRZ

 
Dr. med. Inna Friesen, MSc
04537 / 188-2180
04537 / 188-3110
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Dr. med. Martin Kuhns
Dr. med. Martin Kuhns
04537 / 188-2075
04537 / 188-3110
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Scientific Head

Prof. Dr. Stefan Niemann
Prof. Dr. Stefan Niemann
04537 / 188-7620
04537 / 188-2091
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Office / Requests for test results

Birgit Voß
Birgit Voß
04537 / 188-2110
04537 / 188-3110
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Staff scientists / external quality assessments

Dr. Sönke Andres
Dr. Sönke Andres
04537 / 188-6480
04537 / 188-3110
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Dr. Doris Hillemann
Dr. Doris Hillemann
04537 / 188-7610
04537 / 188-3110
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Dr. Susanne Homolka
Dr. Susanne Homolka
04537 / 188-2840
04537 / 188-3110
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Laboratory manager / Accounting

Anne-Kathrin Slevogt
Anne-Kathrin Slevogt
04537 / 188-2050
04537 / 188-3110
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PhD students

 
Darsha Nadarajan
04537 / 188-6460
04537 / 188-3110
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Technical Staff

 
Lea Behrens
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Kristine Beuck
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Fenja Boysen
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Carina Hahn
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Silvia Höllger
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Ilse Radzio
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Birte Schlüter
04537 / 188-2100
04537 / 188-3110
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Mission

The National Reference Center, appointed by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Robert Koch Institute, participates in the coordination of measures in the fight against and the surveillance of tuberculosis (TB).

  • National Reference Center (NRC) for Mycobacteria
  • Supranational Reference Laboratory (SRL) of WHO

 

The activities of the Reference Center comprise the following domains:

  • Diagnostics: Examination of approximately 12,000 samples per year for the detection and identification of mycobacteria as well as for susceptibility testing
  • Epidemiology: DNA fingerprinting for the discovery of infection chains in order to improve control measures
  • Development, improvement, and evaluation of new techniques for a more rapid diagnosis of TB
  • Advisory service for diagnostic laboratories and physicians. The consultation comprises inquiries on the epidemiology, diagnostics, and therapy of TB
  • Training: Approximately 100 guests annually are trained in all fields of TB diagnostics.
  • Expert for INSTAND EQA for tuberculosis
  • Consultant: among others for WHO, Médecins sans frontières (MSF), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND),  "Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau" (KfW, "German loan bank for reconstruction"), and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation with activities in the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegowina, Croatia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrghysztan, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Southern Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

Documetation-Video of the National Reference Center

Diagnostic service

  • Primary isolation of mycobacteria with liquid and solid media from all specimens
  • Detection of mycobacteria by means of nucleic acid amplification methods from all specimens (exception: venous blood and bone marrow)
  • Differentiation of mycobacteria by molecular techniques
  • Susceptibility testing of all mycobacteria species in liquid and on solid media. Genetic detection of mutations associated with resistance against INH and RMP.
  • DNA analyses (IS6110 DNA fingerprinting, spoligotyping, MIRU) for the comparison of tuberculosis bacteria isolates, for example in the case of a suspected laboratory cross contamination

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Information on tuberculosis

 

Nationales Referenzzentrum
Parkallee 38
23845 Borstel