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Research and Development

Staphylococcus Reference Section

Investigation of the population biology of phage group II staphylococci and their relationship with skin-associated staphylococcal disease (with a particular interest in impetigo)

Evaluation of fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) typing to complement PFGE and help define the limits of heterogeneity

Introduction of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and SCCmec element as part of the international nomenclature for staphylococci ( www.mlst.net)

Exploitation of microarray technology for the study of genetic markers in staphylococci associated with pathogenicity, virulence, epidemicity and invasiveness to further our understanding of staphylococcal disease

Evaluation of multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis as a genotyping tool for S. aureus

Opportunist Pathogens Section

Evaluation of multiple locus variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis for typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa  and Enterococcus faecium to complement and/or replace PFGE.

Development of DNA serotyping of Klebsiella sp. using serotype specific targets and detection of virulence factors.

Use of VNTR loci to provide 'fine-typing' within widespread genotypes of A. baumannii found in multiple hospitals, to provide tracking of possible transmission events.

Use of rpoB sequence cluster analysis for identification of Acinetobacter species.

Expansion of primer sets for PCR panel offered for the identification of pathogens from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Development of use of recA, fur and repA sequence cluster analysis to provide speciation within the Burkholderia cepacia complex.

Characterisation of P. aeruginosa by oprD and blaOXA-50-like sequence analysis.

Use of blue light as a microbicide in treatment of topical infections.

Optimisation of a protocol for DNA extraction from CF sputum.

Development of P. aeruginosa AT array for the characterisation of CF isolates.


Last reviewed: 29 July 2009