Global Capacity Building

The Research Group for Global Capacity Building works to strengthen the global surveillance of infectious disease agents and antimicrobial resistance and to develop and implement procedures for building laboratory capacity with a focus on whole genome sequencing.

The research group works to strengthen global surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by building laboratory capacity for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in Europe, Africa, and Asia, in close collaboration with national authorities and laboratories, as well as with EFSA, ECDC, WHO, and FAO. Standardised protocols, quality assurance, and common data standards ensure that results can be compared and scaled within a One Health framework.
 

Approaches and methods

  • Sequencing-enabled surveillance: development and roll-out of workflows for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) – from sampling to reporting – including methods, guidelines, and procedures, quality assurance (QA/QC), and data standards.
  • Laboratory capacity building: training and technical advisory support for laboratories implementing AMR surveillance, with a focus on practical implementation and sustainability.
  • One Health analyses: by combining data across humans, animals, food, and the environment, the group can track resistance trends and target action.
  • Methods, guidance, and standards: development of, and guidance on, common approaches to collecting, sharing, and reporting data, so that surveillance can be compared across countries and disciplines.
  • Policy-relevant advice: evidence synthesis and method development that support risk management and the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in food systems.

Collaborations and partners

 
The group serves as an internationally recognised reference and advisory unit for AMR surveillance and is designated as the EU Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance (EURL-AR), a WHO Collaborating Centre, and a FAO Reference Centre, and it provides the scientific basis for policy development across regions. In addition, the research group participates as a partner in the EU Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria). Long-standing experience from national surveillance (including DANMAP) provides a strong institutional memory that strengthens implementation research and ensures solutions that can be put into practice. A broad, interdisciplinary team, spanning expertise from microbiology and bioinformatics to veterinary science and epidemiology, supports complex advisory tasks and translates knowledge into standards and practice for the global control and prevention of AMR.
 

Contact

René S. Hendriksen

René S. Hendriksen Professor, Head of Research Group Phone: +45 35886288 Mobile: +45 22450763

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