Department of Microbiology

The Department provides diagnostic services to Sinai Health including Mount Sinai Hospital and Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital and the three hospital sites of University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute,.  In addition, the department provides diagnostic services to Baycrest Center for Geriatric Care, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto Grace Health Centre, and Trillium Gift of Life Network.

The Department is recognized internationally for its involvement in ongoing methods development and peer- reviewed research projects alone or in collaboration with other academic, government, or industry partners.  New assays are continually being tested or developed by our medical and scientific staff in response to clinical and research needs in a wide range of areas related to the epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and management of infectious diseases.  Results from our methods development and research findings are shared with the scientific community at local, national, and international meetings as well as in peer-reviewed journals, and through a large number of teaching and peer- educational initiatives.

Associated with The University of Toronto, the Department of Microbiology provides clinical and research training to Medical Microbiology, Infectious Disease, and Pathology residents, Clinical Microbiology and post-doctoral research fellows and students including postgraduate and graduate students, undergraduate medical and dental students, and other undergraduate students. The Department also provides a venue for the training of Laboratory Technologists and Technicians in partnership with the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, St. Lawrence College and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

The Department of Microbiology supports the laboratory needs of the infection control programs affiliated with our client hospitals and health care organizations.  In addition, Mount Sinai Hospital’s Infection Control Program is an integral part of our department which provides consulting services to a number of outside facilities.

The Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network is a collaboration of all hospitals, microbiology laboratories, infection control practitioners, physicians and public health units serving the populations of metropolitan Toronto, Peel, Hamilton, Halton, Durham, York, and Simcoe Regions.