This department has been involved in the development of several methods for genotyping M. tuberculosis, and understanding the roles of genetic diversity in various aspects of tuberculosis pathogenesis, such as autophagy. In collaboration with the University of Tokyo and the Ministry of Public Health, a recent study was carried out by using various state-of-the-art techniques, including whole genomic analysis and genome wide association study, to investigate these topics. Similar research questions are investigated for foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella and Vibrio, and hospital acquired pathogens, such as MRSA and Acinetobacter. Environmental microbes, for example, social amoeba and gut microbiomes of wildlife, are also studied in this department.