Doherty Institute: Open Access TB Testing Tool Improves Patient Care Worldwide

22 January 2026

Doherty Institute press release

Researchers at the University of Melbourne’s Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory at the Doherty Institute have developed an open-access genomic software tool that enables clinicians to accurately detect antibiotic resistance in TB and use the results to guide patient care.

By supporting faster diagnosis and more targeted treatment, the tool, known as tbtAMR, helps improve patient outcomes and strengthens antibiotic stewardship in the global fight against drug-resistant TB.

The world’s first ISO-accredited tool of its kind, tbtAMR analyses the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to identify drug-resistance mutations and reports the results in a clinician-ready format. By sequencing the bacteria, the software pinpoints the most effective treatment options for each patient and rapidly relays this information to treating doctors.

Read the full press release here.

Source: Doherty Institute