ABOUT THE IIMCB

The International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw was established under an international agreement between the government of the Republic of Poland and UNESCO and a dedicated parliamentary act of 1997, so it has a unique legal status in the Polish scientific system. The IIMCB is directly supervised by the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences, who appoints members of the International Advisory Board and, upon the Board's recommendation, the Institute's director. The Board provides strategic advice on research directions, approves financial plans, conducts competitions for laboratory leaders and regularly evaluates the scientific outputs of laboratories. For years, the Institute has boasted the highest scientific category (A+) in the evaluation of scientific institutions by the Ministry responsible for science, including the latest one in 2022. To strengthen its international position, in January 2020 the IIMCB joined the EU-LIFE alliance of 15 independent research institutes from 15 European countries. This alliance works for excellence in life sciences, attaching great importance to the quality and integrity of science, while at the same time actively participating in shaping European science policy.

The main research directions at the IIMCB are RNA biology and cell biology, both aimed at understanding the fundamentals of human diseases, which are the basis for creating innovative therapeutic and diagnostic methods. The scientific excellence which we pursue involves the implementation of ambitious research projects and scientific initiatives, and forming partnerships with leading research centers in Poland and abroad. To ensure that the results of this research are translated into clinical applications, the IIMCB is open to cooperation with the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, including sharing the resources and expertise of our core facilities. 

The IIMCB is involved in educating PhD students as one of the nine founders of the Warsaw PhD School in Natural and BioMedical Sciences (Warsaw-4-PhD). The School offers international doctoral students an interdisciplinary educational and research program in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. Next year we will celebrate the graduation of the first alumni of our School.

Research at the IIMCB is supported by an annual statutory subsidy from the Ministry responsible for science and a budgetary subsidy from the Polish Academy of Sciences. Still, up to 70% of the yearly institutional budget comes from external competitive sources. Since 2000, our scientists have received 354 grants. Many prestigious ones come from European and other foreign sources, such as: the EU Framework Programmes, including European Research Council, EU Structural Funds through the Foundation for Polish Science, European Molecular Biology Organization, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Wellcome Trust, European Economic Area and Norway Grants, and the Polish-Swiss Research Programme. In 2023, the IIMCB has started implementing an institutional project entitled “RNA and Cell Biology - from Fundamental Research to Therapies” (RACE) selected for funding in the Teaming for Excellence programme under Horizon Europe. IIMCB researchers at different career stages also benefit from diverse grants from Polish sources: National Science Centre, National Centre for Research and Development, Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, Polish Science Fund and Ministry of Education and Science.

The well-being of the members of our community is paramount to us, thus the IIMCB follows the rules put forward by the European Commission in the HR Excellence in Research programme, which the IIMCB joined in 2013. The HR Excellence in Research logo is an accreditation that identifies institutions with a stimulating and favorable working environment. The recently adopted Gender Equality Plan  includes measures to take it a step further: providing an assuring and conducive work culture based on the respect for the principles of equality and diversity. In doing so, we enable all employees to freely develop their scientific and personal skills.

Fourteen research groups comprise the present structure of IIMCB: