"Tuberculosis Research Laboratory" in the Refik Saydam Hygiene Institute was first established by Dr. Aral Gürsel in 1951 to standardize the culture studies carried out by the Bacteriology laboratories in some Chest Diseases Hospitals working on tuberculosis (TB), to perform advanced tests such as species identification and drug susceptibility testing, and to provide methodological research and training. Aral Gürsel later changed the name of the laboratory to "Tuberculosis Training and Research Branch". The laboratory was developed according to the needs of the period and its name changed accordingly. In 1970, it was changed to "Tuberculosis Reference and Research Branch". Then, 20 Regional TB laboratories were established in various cities (Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Çorum, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Erzurum, Eskişehir, İstanbul, İzmir, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Samsun, Sivas, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak) across Türkiye. To ensure standardization, verification of grown mycobacterial strains sent from Regional TB laboratories, identification of species and drug susceptibly tests have started to be performed in the reference laboratory. In addition, the Reference laboratory has pioneered the establishment of TB laboratories in many Chest disease hospitals and provided training. Until 2011, as the "National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (UTRL)" affiliated with the Refik Saydam Hygiene Center, it continued its training, auditing, surveillance, and external quality assessment duties, as well as microscopy, culture, species identification, and drug susceptibility tests of mycobacteria with conventional and molecular methods. It has cooperated nationally and internationally for Research & Development activities. TB guidelines were prepared for the standardization of tests across the country and ensured their use by all TB laboratories. UTRL also provides consultancy to Mycobacteria employees across the country. With the closure of the Hygiene Institute, this laboratory was transferred first to the Turkish Public Health Institution in 2011 and to the General Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health in 2017. UTRL still continues its duties under the same name.