Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation NCE-SRL

Description

The National Center of Excellence (NCE-SRL) in Yekaterinburg is a part of the Ural Research Institute for Phthisiopulmonology and provides routine and specialized diagnostic TB services at the national and regional level.  The laboratory also serves the local TB hospital. 

The Institute is located in the central part of Russia, 2000 km to the East from Moscow. The Institute includes an in-patient clinic with 350 beds and consists of 3 surgical, 4 therapeutic and 7 paraclinical units. Тotal NCE area is 668 m2.

The national reference status was assigned byWHO in 2015.

Structure and organization

The NCE consists of a clinical diagnostic laboratory focused on mycobacteria and a diagnostic research group. The clinical diagnostic laboratory has performed routine microscopic, cultural and molecular-genetic tests for the in-patient clinic of the institute, as well as provides external quality control in TB laboratories of the Ural region. Research group has carried out studies with regard to their competence.

Services provided by the SRL

NCE performs all diagnostic tests on mycobacterial infections and TB antibiotic therapy control: fluorescence and Z-N microscopy, primary culture and DST for first-  and second-line drugs on solid and liquid media, different molecular techniques (Cepheid Xpert MTB/Rif, PCR-RT, sequencing, HAIN line probe assays,  Biochip), MIRU typing, as well as identification and DST for non-TB mycobacteria.

Besides, the laboratory has carried out research on sanitary microbiology and nonspecific microflora.

NCE has provided support to TB laboratories (120 laboratories from 11 regions) in diagnostic process organization, performed quality monitoring for diagnostic tests and collecting data about biological parameters of TB agents in the Ural and Privolzhsky Federal Okrug with the population of over 23 mln people. The laboratory has carried out referent studies and expert analysis.

NCE has a license for postgraduate education and hold trainings on TB laboratory diagnosis and biosafety for laboratory staff of TB services.

Current links and partnerships outside of SRLN

NCE has closely collaborated with other Russian NCE (Moscow, Novosibirsk), its staff are members of WHO theme working group on TB diagnostics.