A QUT-led pilot study has shown the use of a relatively simple and cost-effective method of monitoring the presence of infectious disease-causing bacteria in intensive care units and their sites of transmission. The collaborative project between QUT, University of Southern Queensland, University of Queensland and St Vincent's Private Hospital in Toowoomba has demonstrated the power of academia and hospitals working together to address the critical problem of hospital-acquired infections. The paper is published in the journal Microbial Genomics.