Mycobacteria and Nocardia Laboratory
The Mycobacteria/Nocardia Laboratory at UT Tyler School of Medicine conducts clinical
and basic research of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and the other aerobic actinomycetes.
Under the direction of Dr. Richard J. Wallace Jr., and Barbara A. Brown-Elliott, MS,
MT(ASCP) SM, our laboratory has achieved a worldwide reputation for excellence in
susceptibility testing, identification, and treatment.
Researchers have more than 35 years of experience in investigation of NTM. This group
of bacteria is closely related to the agent that causes tuberculosis and includes
groups known as rapidly growing mycobacteria and Mycobacterium avium complex.
Research Activities
- Clinical and laboratory studies of new drugs for treatment of NTM species Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium avium complex.
- Treatment trials of new antimicrobials.
- Testing isolates of other aerobic actinomycetes, including species of NTM, Nocardia sp., Gordonia, Rhodococcus, Tsukamurella, Streptomyces, etc. View our Laboratory Testing Procedures.
- DNA fingerprinting to study how these organisms are spread from one source to another and if outbreak of epidemic strains is the same or different.
Functions and Services
- Laboratory susceptibility studies and clinical investigational studies of newer antimicrobial agents for the NTM and nocardia.
- Susceptibility testing of NTM to standard and investigational drugs
- Internationally renowned reference laboratory.
- Identification of aerobic actinomycetes (especially Nocardia sp.) and NTM by gene sequencing.
- Molecular identification of NTM and aerobic actinomycetes by 16S rRNA sequence and other genes (rpoβ, erm, etc.).
- DNA fingerprinting of isolates from outbreaks or epidemics of disease due to NTM and other aerobic actinomycetes.
- Laboratory and clinical consultation in epidemiological studies involving NTM and other aerobic actinomycetes.
- Technical assistance (methods, techniques, etc.) to referral laboratories and physicians
- International and national collaboration with experienced scientists in the areas of mycobacteriology and the aerobic actinomycetes.
- Clinical consultations to physicians and other healthcare workers in the treatment of diseases and infections caused by NTM and other aerobic actinomycetes.