About us

• In 2001 an agreement with the provincial government saw the launching of the GeNova project,
• In the years 2002-2003GeNova project was transformed to the MICROS study. The MICROS study, a population-based survey on three small, isolated villages, characterized by settlement a long time ago, small number of founders and slow/ null population expansion, began the collection and biobanking of resources for local research into the use of small, isolated populations to find genes involved in the etiology of disease.
• This led to the founding of the Institute for Genetic Medicine in 2004, and the consolidation of research groups using the tools of molecular genetics, genetic epidemiology and biostatistics in 2006.
• In 2006 we joined our resources with those from four other European centres to create the EUROSPAN consortium (European Special Population Research Network).
• The success of the cooperative approach led to an active period from 2008 to the present in which MICROS data has been successfully incorporated into some of the largest international consortia currently operating, generating scientific results published in the world’s top scientific journals. Over approximately 15 years, GWAS consortia have created some of the largest current experiments in biology.
• In 2011 the follow up to MICROS (the CHRIS study) began, enrolling over 13,400 people by December 2018 when phase 1 completed.
• In 2016 we opened the largest biobank in the region and created our first joint doctoral program (BI-DOC) in cooperation with the Medical University of Innsbruck.
• The first follow up phase of CHRIS began in 2019, and is ongoing despite a disruption due to the SARS-Cov2 pandemic. Extending our dedicated groups to focus on computational genomics/ metabolomics, translational genomics, mitochondria in health and disease, molecular neurodegeneration and biology of cardiac health and disease, will help maximise the health insights from this precious resource.
• As of 2020, online catalogues contain information from >4500 publications and >185,000 associations to thousands of health-related traits, which have led to new discoveries about genes and pathways involved in common diseases and other complex traits, provided a wealth of new biological insights, led to discoveries with direct clinical utility, and facilitated basic research in human genetics and genomics.

Mission
To foster biomedical research in the region and through this improve individual and population health both locally and beyond.

Vision
To make the Institute for Biomedicine into a state of the art internationally renowned R&D centre that will be a driver for innovative biomedical and translational health research.

In pursuing our mission and vision, the fundamental principles and standards that consistently shape our thinking and approach are:

1. Consideration and respect for our stakeholders, who represent the purpose of our work, and enable us to do it.

2. Determination to produce knowledge that can be translated and applied, using the highest ethical standards.

3. Commitment to a culture of trust, communication, cooperation, and achievement.

Building Resources
Consolidate, expand, and continuously develop our resources to enable innovative biomedical and translational health research in the region for future decades.

Generating Knowledge
Investigate the basis of health and disease, focusing on molecular and genetic determinants, biomarkers and mechanisms, and use the knowledge generated to holistically explore precision medicine and health opportunities.

Fostering Translation
Promote translation of scientific discoveries into new solutions, products and services.

Our people mean the world to us
Over the past five years, we have undergone a significant growth in personnel, hiring researchers (mostly at the PhD and post-doc level) and research support staff from all over the world, to increase our expertise in all areas. We guarantee equality (i.e. gender) and a motivating, stable and secure working environment. To support the professional growth of our staff and careers of young students, we developed diversified career paths and individual training possibilities

Meet our staff