The Microbiology Department began functioning as an Independent Department from 1976. The late Dr. Prema Bhat guided the Department in its initial stages and she was succeeded by Dr. Ragini Macaden, Dr. H.Srinivasa, Dr. S.Muralidhran AND N.S.Srikanth. The current HOD is to Dr. Jayanthi Savio.

The Department is well known for in vitro cultivation of the Malarial parasite and extensive work on enteric infections. More recently studies involving fungi ,Pneumococci, Haemophilus influenza and bacterial resistance mechanisms are being addressed. Molecular techniques for research were introduced in 2009.

Microbiology runs a 24 hour laboratory in the Hospital premises and has been accredited by the NABL since 2007. It is also involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes.

1. Teaching and of Microbiology for MBBS and various other courses.
2. Diagnostic services of infectious diseases.
    • Culture based diagnosis of aerobic, anaerobic , Mycobacterial and fungal by convention and automated methods.
    • Non culture based immunological methods in the areas of bacaterilogy, mycobacteriology, virology,
      mycology and Parasitology
3. Diagnosis of immunological and allergic disorders using serological tests eg; Viral serology for Dengue virus and
    Antigen detection , Human Immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis viruses A,B,C,E, and TORCH panel.
4. Providing services related to Hospital infection prevention and control.
    • Monitoring environmental samples in critical areas of the hospital routinely and in outbreak situations.
    • Checking the quality control of Central Sterilisation and supply Department sterilization procedures.
    • Screening to establish carrier status with Multi Drug Resistant bacteria among staff and patients.
5. The faculty discuss reports with the treating team of Physicians.
6. The infectious diseases unit at St Johns Research Institute carries out specialized tests using molecular methods for diagnosis of tuberculosis, retrovirus infection and Hepatitis B & C viruses