The Division for Microbial Genomics and Epidemiology conducts research with the aim of understanding and predicting the emergence, occurrence and spread of infectious diseases in humans and animals. The division also supports national and global surveillance, detection and control of those infectious agents in humans, food and animals.
Research
The targeted research is concentrated on the evolution, spread and persistence of infectious agents, with a special focus on organisms with multiple transmissions pathways including zoonoses, antimicrobial resistant bacteria and food and waterborne transmitted pathogens.
Public sector consultancy
The division advises national and international authorities on the health risks posed by the presence of pathogenic microorganisms.
Specific advisory tasks for Danish Veterinary and Food Administration in collaboration with Division of Food Microbiology:
-
Central Coordinated Projects (CKL)
-
Case-by-case control
-
Salmonella Source Account
-
Outbreak investigations
-
“Strengthened efforts 2011 – 2014” (Styrket indsats 2011 – 2014)
-
Day-to-day advisory requests
Surveillance activities in collaboration with Division of Food Microbiology:
DANMAP
Zoonosis surveillance
Other tasks
The division maintenances and have access to several databases. The databases contain data from surveillance, commercial analytical activities and research projects carried out by Division of Food Microbiology and Division for Microbial Genomics and Epidemiology whereas the Zoonosis Centre is responsible for data handling, maintenance and development of databases.
Education
The Division is responsible for the organization and teaching at the following courses at DTU:
-
Risk Analysis in Food Safety (23271)
-
General Medical Microbiology (23258)
-
Antimicrobial resistance and bacterial typing (23210)
-
Fighting bacterial Infections (23205)
-
Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (23231)
-
Risikoanalyse og modellering - Diplomingeniøruddannelse i fødevareanalyse (23921)
In addition, the Division contributes to the teaching at the following courses at DTU:
At Copenhagen University, Faculty of Life Sciences, the Division is responsible for the organization and teaching at two courses that are part of the Master in Food Safety and Food Quality
The Division is additionally involved in international courses. Teaching takes place mostly in developing countries and is targeted capacity-building courses, workshops and seminars.
Collaboration
National
DTU: Informatics, Systems biology
SSI; KU; The Danish Agriculture and Food Council (Landbrug og Fødevarer)
International
AHVLA; HPA; RVC; RIVM; BfR; ANSES; CDC; USDA; NIPH; NIHS; University of Brasilia
WHO – FOS; WHO – PAHO; The Nordic Zoonosis Centres (in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland);
Contact
Acting head of Division Jørgen Schlundt