The Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB) was built on the vision of a post-graduate scientific research institute where academics can focus on their research. Furthermore, using English as the working language would attract leading scientists from abroad to come and work in Poland.

The vision became a reality on 13th May 2013 following a successful bid to the European Union that financed a new building and state-of-the-art equipment. Excellent labs were quickly established, resulting in a highly international institute consisting of labs headed by researchers from Austria, Japan, Poland and UK covering diverse, exciting and cutting-edge topics in biological sciences including structural biology, synthetic biology, host-microorganism interactions, virology, plant and mammalian signalling, bionanoscience and embryo implantation [Link to researchers page]. An International Scientific Advisory Board was established and consists of world-known scientists including Nobel Prize winners [Link to ISAB] to review the science and direction of the institute and to feedback its findings to the leadership of the Institute and the University.

MCB is only 8 years old and is already attracting national and international recognition with approximately 30% of its academic staff from overseas. Additionally, many of the Polish members of MCB have extensive research experience abroad. The current director, Danuta Earnshaw-Mossakowska has broad research management experience and was recruited from the UK to boost the international outlook of the institute. The MCB has continued to evolve and innovate: we recently established Early Career Researcher positions to attract talented young people funded by research grants, that can then develop under the mentorship of the institute to become tenured staff in the future if they are successful. In May 2023 we will be opening the new Max Planck Dioscuri Centre for Post-Translational Modifications [Link] to further complement the research of MCB and increase the mission to become a Centre of Excellence with a world-wide reputation. The institute has its own doctoral school along with SOLARIS, the National Synchrotron Radiation Centre and Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Medicine (JCET) [Link]. Research continues to focus on the genes to proteins to function to translational research in three key areas; host-microorganism-environment, macromolecular interactions and cell-signalling. MCB is also home to two Spin Out companies and there are many opportunities to collaborate with business [Link to core services and business links page].