Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

What Indian Institute of Chemical Biology does

CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB) is a government-owned biomedical research institute headquartered in Kolkata, India, and a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under India's Ministry of Science and Technology. Founded in 1935 as the first non-official centre for biomedical research in India and brought under CSIR's aegis in 1956, the institute operates six specialized research divisions: Cancer Biology & Inflammatory Disorder; Cell Biology & Physiology; Infectious Diseases & Immunology; Pharmacology & Drug Discovery; Organic & Medicinal Chemistry; and Structural Biology & Bioinformatics. CSIR-IICB conducts multidisciplinary research spanning chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and immunology, with notable outputs including the first oral cholera vaccine tested on human volunteers, multiple US patent applications (e.g., PI3 inhibitors and NO inducers for leukemia treatment), and a registered copyright for liquid soap production. It is supported by centralized infrastructure including a Central Instrumentation Facility housing advanced tools such as Octet RED96E biolayer interferometry, a Knowledge Resource Centre (one of eastern India's largest biomedical libraries), an Animal House, a Business Development Group for technology transfer, and Engineering and IT services units.

The institute operates across four locations in the Kolkata metropolitan area, including the Jadavpur headquarters campus, the IICB TRUE (Translational Research Unit of Excellence) at Salt Lake, a facility at Baruipur, and a Scientists' Apartment. It does not operate on a commercial revenue model; instead, it is funded through government grants, CSIR budgetary allocations, and external grants (e.g., DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance fellowships). Its primary stakeholders are the public health research community, academic researchers (PhD students, postdocs, visiting scientists via AcSIR), and industry collaborators engaged in contract research and technology transfer. CSIR-IICB's marketing and outreach are conducted through its institutional website, scientific seminars and colloquia, international conferences such as ICRB-IHD 2025, CSIR's One Week One Lab/Jigyasa programs, and science exhibitions. Active partnerships include AIIMS New Delhi, AcSIR, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, NIH (NHLBI), Ministry of AYUSH, and the Chemical Biology Society of India. The institute is currently led by Director Prof. Vibha Tandon.

Name

Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

Legal name

CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

Website

https://iicb.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology is a government-funded biomedical research institute in Kolkata, India, operating under CSIR's Ministry of Science and Technology. It conducts multidisciplinary research on infectious diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders across six specialized divisions, trains PhD students, and collaborates with AIIMS, NIH, and DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Biomedical Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC), Microbiology & Infectious Disease Testing (Trial Support) (HLAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Biomedical research services
• Drug discovery research
• Infectious disease research
• Doctoral training programs
• Academic research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Kolkata

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSIR-IICB conducts multidisciplinary biomedical research focused on diseases of national importance (including leishmaniasis, cholera, cancer, and neurological disorders) and biological problems of global interest. The institute operates six specialized research divisions supported by shared service facilities such as the Central Instrumentation Facility, Knowledge Resource Centre, and Project Monitoring & Evaluation. It also delivers doctoral (PhD) programs through AcSIR, summer internships, and skill development programs for students and researchers.

Product overview

CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology is a premier biomedical research institute under CSIR, operating six specialized research divisions (Cancer Biology, Cell Biology & Physiology, Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Pharmacology & Drug Discovery, Organic & Medicinal Chemistry, Structural Biology & Bioinformatics) supported by centralized service facilities including Central Instrumentation Facility, Knowledge Resource Centre (Library), Publication & Information Division, Project Monitoring & Evaluation, and Human Resource Group. The institute offers doctoral programs through AcSIR, summer internships, and skill development programs. Research focuses on diseases of national importance including leishmaniasis, cholera, and cancer, employing multidisciplinary approaches in chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and immunology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of the first oral cholera vaccine and successful testing on human volunteers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AIIMS New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 20252nd Collaborative Research Meeting between CSIR-IICB and AIIMS New Delhi held on February 9, 2025 at Salt Lake Campus, CSIR-IICB. Indicates an ongoing collaborative research relationship focused on joint medical and biomedical research.
• AcSIR (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIR-IICB is a constituent institute of AcSIR which offers PhD programs. The institute conducts PhD coursework and programs in coordination with AcSIR. AcSIR Waitlist for PhD admission of August 2026 session is processed through IICB.
• CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIR-IICB has been under the aegis of CSIR since 1956. CSIR is the parent organization providing funding, governance, and institutional framework. CSIR Foundation Day is celebrated annually at the institute.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH), USAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Sourish Ghosh served as Research Fellow (2016-2021) and Research Scholar (2021-2022) at NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, USA. Represents significant international collaborative training and research relationship.
• Ministry of AYUSHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIR-IICB hosted a 6-Day CME Program sponsored by the Ministry of AYUSH on 'Reverse Pharmacology of Traditional Medicine using Modern Biomedical Techniques' during February 3-8, 2025.
• Chemical Biology Society (India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIR-IICB is associated with the Chemical Biology Society (India). Official website is https://cbs-india.net/.
• West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology (WAST)minorOthersWAST is located at CSIR-IICB premises. WAST website is www.wast.in. WAST promotes science and technology in West Bengal.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL): Pune-based CSIR chemistry laboratory with significant overlap in organic and medicinal chemistry capabilities relevant to CSIR-IICB's Pharmacology & Drug Discovery and Organic & Medicinal Chemistry divisions.
• CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB): Hyderabad-based CSIR sister laboratory conducting biomedical research in cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics. Direct CSIR-system peer with comparable government-funded, multidisciplinary biomedical research mandate.
• CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI): Lucknow-based CSIR laboratory dedicated to drug discovery and pharmaceutical research. Comparable in being a CSIR drug-discovery/biomedical research institute with shared funding structure and translational mandate.
• National Institute of Immunology (NII): Delhi-based autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology focused on immunology and infectious disease research. Direct peer in scope, with overlapping research divisions in infectious diseases, immunology, and cancer biology.
• Institute of Life Sciences (ILS Bhubaneswar): Bhubaneswar-based autonomous DBT institute conducting research in infectious disease biology, cancer biology, and plant molecular biology. Comparable government institute with parallel disease-focused research portfolio.
• Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD): Hyderabad-based autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology providing DNA diagnostics and biomedical research services. Comparable government-funded institute offering advanced research infrastructure and training.
• CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR): Lucknow-based CSIR laboratory conducting toxicology and biomedical safety research. Sister CSIR institute with shared government funding model, PhD training via AcSIR, and similar multidisciplinary organization.
• Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB): Thiruvananthapuram-based autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology conducting biomedical research in infectious disease and cancer biology. Peer in mandate and government-funded operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Institut Pasteur: Paris-based international biomedical research institution with deep expertise in infectious diseases, immunology, and vaccine development. International benchmark for the type of foundational public-health-oriented research CSIR-IICB conducts, particularly on cholera and leishmaniasis.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc) - Division of Biological Sciences: India's premier research university with a substantial biological sciences division conducting basic and translational biomedical research. Broader incumbent with significantly larger resources, broader mandate, and elite brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csir_iicb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Indian Institute of Chemical Biology