Laboratory Sections & Departments

The Molecular Biology Lab is the most advanced and highest-volume section of PHRL KP. Using state-of-the-art Real-Time PCR technology, it provides confirmatory molecular diagnosis for the most critical infectious diseases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This section plays a central role in COVID-19 surveillance, respiratory disease monitoring, and outbreak confirmation.

The Microbiology & Serology Lab handles culture-based diagnosis, antimicrobial sensitivity testing, and serological detection of viral infections. It is the primary section for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) testing and plays a key role in food- and water-borne disease investigation and environmental pathogen surveillance.

The ACGT is PHRL's genomics powerhouse. It supports national and international genomic surveillance efforts, pathogen characterisation, and molecular typing. A landmark achievement of this section was the whole genome sequencing of COVID-19 variants that directly led to the UK removing travel restrictions on KP residents. ACGT was among the second biggest COVID-19 sequencers in Pakistan.

The Mobile Testing Laboratory brings diagnostic capabilities directly to the field — to remote districts, post-disaster zones, and border areas. Compliant with WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) for monitoring disease at land routes, it has been deployed in real emergencies. The mobile lab served District Buner for 62 consecutive days post-floods, conducting over 10,300 tests in a collaborative initiative with PHRL, KMU, DG Health, IDSR, and NIH.