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 group works to develop and implement methods and guidelines that can support efforts to build the capacity of the global monitoring of antimicrobial resistance as well as increase the quality of monitoring data. This is done in collaboration with the EU, WHO and FAO, for who the National Food Institute is the reference laboratory in the field of antimicrobial resistance.

The research group has a special focus on developing and implementing ring tests to validate pheno- and genotypic antimicrobial resistance data. In addition, the group provides activities that support the quality of the global monitoring of antimicrobial resistance.

The group contributes to the global monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in the following areas:

• Ensures access to correct detection methods and high quality guidelines that support the quality of antimicrobial resistance data;
• Contributes scientific and technical assistance to national reference laboratories globally;
• Contributes scientific and technical assistance to international organizations;
• Develops and maintains reference material and other resources.