Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Name

Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Legal name

The University of Queensland

Website

https://imb.uq.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience is a research institute within The University of Queensland that conducts molecular bioscience research across drug discovery, genomics, antimicrobial resistance, and cell biology. It serves pharmaceutical companies, healthcare systems, and the global scientific research community through grants, partnerships, and technology transfer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bioanalytical Testing (PK/ADA/NAb) (HLAGADAA), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Molecular bioscience research
• Biomedical research institute
• Drug discovery platforms
• Genomics and proteomics
• Life sciences research

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Grants: Funded primarily through competitive research grants from government bodies including the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Australian Research Council (ARC)
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships and collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for research and development
3. Technology Transfer: Translation of research into commercial outcomes including drugs in clinical trials, insecticides for agricultural applications, and animal baits for pest control

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) is a research institute within the University of Queensland that conducts fundamental and applied research in molecular bioscience. It operates multiple research centres focused on translating scientific discoveries into therapeutic and commercial outcomes, spanning drug discovery, genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. The institute is funded by grants (NHMRC, ARC), corporate partnerships, and technology transfer/licensing.

Product overview

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) is a research institute within the University of Queensland that conducts molecular bioscience research. Rather than a unified commercial product, IMB operates as a portfolio of four specialized research centres: the Centre for Population & Disease Genomics (focused on statistical and systems genomics for disease treatment), the Centre for Chemistry and Drug Discovery (developing precision drugs from natural sources), the Centre for Superbug Solutions (combating antimicrobial resistance through diagnostics and treatments), and the Centre for Cell Biology and Chronic Disease (studying cellular mechanisms of chronic diseases like cancer). These centres are supported by multiple research groups and produce publications including The Edge Magazine. The institute translates research into clinical applications including drugs in clinical trials, insecticides, and animal baits for pest control.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Centres (4 centres)

Quantifiable outcome

• Drug in clinical trials for heart disease based on funnel-web venom
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Corporate PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnerships program allowing companies to collaborate with IMB researchers on drug discovery, diagnostics, and other research initiatives. Partners can engage through the 'Partner with us' program.
• QIMRB (QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with clinical scientists on chronic liver disease research, particularly with Professor Elizabeth Powell at the PA Hospital
• Mater ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with biomedical scientists including Kate Irvine on liver fibrosis and inflammatory disease research
• Cedars Sinai, Los AngelesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with biomedical scientist Ekihiro Seki on chronic liver disease research
• Child Health Research Centre UQcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Cystic Fibrosis research with clinicians Peter Sly and Paul Robinson focusing on anti-infective approaches
• Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical collaboration with Professor Claire Wainwright on treating infections in people with Cystic Fibrosis

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL): Intergovernmental molecular biology research organisation headquartered in Heidelberg with pan-European sites. Comparable in molecular bioscience research scope and translational orientation, but operating across Europe rather than Australia.

Direct peers

• Centenary Institute: Sydney-based medical research institute focused on inflammation, infectious disease and cancer. Comparable in size, university-adjacent model, and translational drug discovery orientation to IMB.
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI): Australia's largest medical research institute, based in Melbourne. Like IMB, WEHI conducts fundamental molecular biology and translational research across cancer, infectious disease and immunology, with analogous grant funding and pharma partnership models.
• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: Sydney-based biomedical research institute with parallel genomics, cell biology and translational programmes. Highly comparable in scale, funding mix (NHMRC/grants) and disease-area focus to IMB.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: Australia's leading cancer research and treatment centre, with strong translational and clinical-trial pipelines. Comparable to IMB's Centre for Cell Biology and Chronic Disease in scale and translational mission.
• QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute: Brisbane-based medical research institute with formal collaboration history with IMB. Direct regional peer with comparable infectious-disease, genomics and translational research scope.

Broad incumbents

• MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology: UK-based, globally leading molecular biology research institute. Highly comparable in molecular bioscience focus and Nobel-tier discovery track record, though with substantially greater scale and legacy.
• Karolinska Institutet: Sweden's premier medical university with extensive biomedical and translational research. Comparable in university-anchored model and broad biomedical research portfolio, though substantially larger and more clinically integrated.
• The Scripps Research Institute: Major US non-profit biomedical research organisation with broad drug discovery programmes. Comparable to IMB in translational chemistry/drug discovery orientation but at much greater scale and longer commercial track record.
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard: US-based, substantially larger genomics and biomedical research institute. Comparable in genomics methodology leadership and translational pipelines but with materially greater scale and funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute for Molecular Bioscience