The office of the Scientific Advisory Board for Public Health Microbiology (WBPHM) forms the interface between national reference centers (NRZ), consiliary laboratories (KL), Robert Koch-Institute (RKI) and German Ministry of Health (BMG). It is located in the RKI's Department of Infection Epidemiology and coordinates the application and appointment procedures for NRZ and KL, the review of the activity reports and the evaluations of the NRZ and KL by the WBPHM, the infection epidemiology specialist units of the RKI and by other selected expert experts.

The volunteer members of the WBPHM are recognized experts in the fields of microbiology, virology, hygiene, clinical practice, mycology, parasitology, epidemiology and the public health service. As a rule, they are appointed for a period of 3 years by the President of the RKI with the approval of the BMG.

The WBPHM advises the RKI by proposing criteria and areas of responsibility for the NRZ and KL, taking into account European and international reference structures, making recommendations on the appointment and evaluation of the activities of the NRZ and KL and, if the RKI requires advice, providing statements on current issues or questions in the field of public health microbiology and infection epidemiology.

The WBPHM office supports it in fulfilling its tasks. The coordination of the projects for the development of Integrated Genomic Surveillance (IGS) takes place within the office; it is also the addressee for NRZ and KL concerns in Germany.