About CPLP-TB

CPLP-TB is hosted and curated by the Laboratory of Molecular Mycobacteriology (LMM) at the Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa) from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon and, maintained with the collaboration of the Associated Laboratories listed below. On the basis of CPLP-TB is a network of TB laboratories with extensive experience in genotypic characterization and/or phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. CPLP-TB originates from the growing need for inter-laboratory comparison of genotypic  data within the lusophone space and its main mission is to enable the tracking of common M. tuberculosis clones across distinct countries within this community. Strain data is also linked with a biobank distributed across each partner, promoting fundamental and applied research on clinically relevant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.  

Hosting Institution

iMed.ULisboa – Laboratory of Molecular Mycobacteriology (PORTUGAL)
The Laboratory of Molecular Mycobacteriology (LMM) is hosted at the Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), a multidisciplinary R&D Unit in Life and Health Sciences, at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon (FF/ULisboa). For the past 20 years, the Laboratory of Molecular Mycobacteriology has been actively engaged in studying the genetic diversity of circulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries. LMM’s main areas of activity also rely on the study of the molecular determinants of drug resistance and its association with specific phylohenetic clades; M. tuberculosis phylogeography and molecular evolution; and, the implementation of Next Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics to the study of the M. tuberculosis genomic diversity and epidemiology. In this regard, LMM also collaborates with diverse institutions worldwide by providing training in classical TB molecular epidemiology and bioinformatic analysis of Next Generation Sequencing data.

Head of Laboratory: Isabel Portugal

Associated Laboratories

Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical – Global Health and Tropical Medicine (PORTUGAL)
The Mycobacteriology Laboratory of the Medical Microbiology Unit at IHMT/UNL has the mission to: (a) provide “state of the art” laboratory diagnostics to the patients of the Lisbon area infected with M. tuberculosis within 48 h upon specimen reception; (b) provide degree-oriented courses on mycobacteriology to graduate students, physicians and lab technicians; (c) conduct research on the development of new tools for the rapid diagnosis of TB and M/XDR-TB and new effective anti-TB agents.

Currently, the Mycobacteriology Laboratory of IHMT/UNL is mainly focused on early diagnosis of TB and drug resistant TB by molecular approaches, determination of drug resistance profiles, assessment of drug resistance mechanisms and new therapeutic approaches to fight M/XDRTB. We have established collaborations with national and international laboratories, including from different CPLP countries.

Head of Laboratory: Miguel Viveiros

 

Medical Microbiology Research Center – NUPEMM – Núcleo de Pesquisa em Microbiologia Médica – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (BRAZIL)
NUPEMM is located in the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Rio Grande, in southern of Brazil and its facilities are the laboratories of Mycobacteriology, Cell Culture, Medical Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Development of New drugs. This center presents research projects related to the development of new drugs and diagnostic methods for TB and other micobacterioses; Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, drug efflux systems,  fitness and molecular epidemiology of microrganisms with clinical importance.

Head of Laboratory: Pedro Almeida da Silva

 

Centro de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CDCT), Departamento de Ações em Saúde (DAS), Secretaria Estadual de Saúde (ES-RS) (BRAZIL)

CDCT is a state agency from the Secretaria Estadual de Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, whose research activity is mainly focused on meeting the needs generated by the Sistema Único de Saúde/ Unified Health System (SUS), mainly related to the study of transmission and characterization of infectious agents. CDCT also lead projects aimed at developing and validating new methodologies for molecular diagnosis. The Centre also performs community-directed diagnosis and molecular research of several genetic diseases.

Head of Laboratory: Maria Lúcia Rossetti