National Microbiology Laboratory

The National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) is part of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch of the Public Health Agency of Canada(PHAC), the agency of the Government of Canada that is responsible for public health, health emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic disease control and prevention.

NML is located in several sites across the country including the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (CSCHAH) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, also home to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease. This modern state-of-the-art infectious disease laboratory facility houses the only Containment Level 4 (also known as Biosafety Level 4) operational laboratories in Canada. With maximum containment, scientists are able to work safely with pathogens ranging from the most common to the most serious including Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever.

NML has a second site in Winnipeg, the JC Wilt Infectious Disease Research Centre on Logan Avenue which serves as a hub for HIV research and diagnostics in Canada. The three other primary sites include locations in Guelph, St. Hyacinthe and Lethbridge.

The NML aims to advance human health through laboratory leadership, scientific excellence, and public health innovation, through the identification, investigation, control and prevention of infectious disease.

NML’s role involves five main activities. On a day-to-day basis, NML staff are confirming provincial diagnostic results and sub-typing samples to monitor for resistance and determine the specific strains that are circulating. They are studying how pathogens infect cells and developing vaccines against the world’s most problematic viruses. They are leading national and international laboratory networks that enhance the standardization and quality of testing, augment training, and provide connections that can be relied on during outbreaks. All of this day-to-day work is interspersed with larger outbreaks such as SARS, H1N1 and listeriosis for which NML must maintain a constant state of readiness in order to respond to emerging threats. These examples of reference and diagnostics services, surveillance, research, leadership and emergency response demonstrate the five core activities through which NML accomplishes its mission. The first four activities are always ongoing and are essential for ensuring the technical capacity and scientific knowledge base required to effectively respond to emergency situations and emerging issues.

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