Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities

What Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities does

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) is a non-profit professional membership association founded in 1988/1989 and headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It serves scientists, administrators, and technical staff who operate shared resource laboratories — known as core facilities — supporting biomolecular research in universities, government institutes, and industry. The organization reports 4,000+ individual members drawn from 400+ laboratories globally.

ABRF's core products and underlying infrastructure consist of: an annual meeting that rotates geographically across U.S. cities; the peer-reviewed Journal of Biomolecular Techniques; topical Research Groups that convene domain experts (including a newer group in Spatial Transcriptomics and Proteomics); five Regional Chapters (MAD SSCi, MWACD, NERLSCD, SC3, SEASR, WACD) for localized programming; the Core Community online platform and ABRF App for member engagement; awards and recognition programs (e.g., the ABRF Award for Outstanding Contributions to Biomolecular Technologies); the Certified Core Administrator credential; DEIB and committee programs; and member resources such as a Compensation Survey Report for core facility managers. Day-to-day operations are supported through a management partnership with AMR Management Services, allowing the association to maintain a small core staff of approximately six.

The business model is a non-profit association model with diversified revenue. Income is generated from individual membership dues, registration and exhibit/sponsorship fees tied to the annual meeting, corporate sponsorships (including QIAGEN as Signature Sponsor and additional support from sponsors such as Waters Corp), journal-related income, and educational programming. ABRF is also affiliated with FASEB and engages in policy advocacy on issues such as the OMB Rule on Federal Financial Assistance. No audited revenue figures are disclosed in the available materials.

Name

Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities

Legal name

Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities

Website

https://abrf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) is a non-profit professional membership association, founded 1988/1989 and based in Lexington, KY, serving 4,000+ scientists and administrators operating 400+ shared biomolecular core facilities through conferences, publications, research groups, and regional chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to conferences, publications, professional development resources, Core Community platform, and member benefits including scholarships and awards.
2. Annual Meeting Revenue: Registration fees for the annual conference, with sponsorship opportunities for corporate partners. ABRF 2026 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA (March 28-31).
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners including signature sponsor QIAGEN. Regional chapters also offer sponsorship opportunities (MAD SSCi, MWACD, NERLSCD, SEASR, WACD).
4. Journal of Biomolecular Techniques: Official peer-reviewed journal published by ABRF with four regular issues and one supplemental meeting issue per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ABRF is a nonprofit professional membership association that promotes education and career advancement for scientists, core administrators, and staff working within or in support of biomolecular resource and research biotechnology laboratories. Its core offerings include individual memberships, the annual ABRF Meeting conference, the Journal of Biomolecular Techniques, multi-center ABRF Research Group studies, regional chapter programming, and the Core Community online platform serving more than 4,000 members across 400+ laboratories.

Product overview

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) is a membership association offering a portfolio of programs and services for core facility professionals. The core offerings include the annual ABRF Meeting conference, the Journal of Biomolecular Techniques peer-reviewed journal, and multiple Recognition Awards. These are supported by Research Groups focused on specific technologies (Flow Cytometry, Genomics, Proteomics, etc.), Regional Chapters providing local networking, the ABRF App for mobile access, and the Core Community online platform. Additional member services include Workshops and Webinars, Virtual Peer Mentoring, the Compensation Survey Report, Core Marketplace, and Career Center. The organization does not offer a software product in the traditional sense but provides educational, networking, and professional development resources for biomolecular resource facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABRF Annual Meeting Annual conference bringing together core facility professionals for scientific sessions, workshops, networking, and presentations on biomolecular resource technologies, including Lightning Talk Awards sponsored by Waters Corporation.
• Journal of Biomolecular Techniques Official peer-reviewed journal of ABRF, published four times per year with a supplemental meeting issue, disseminating biotechnology research conducted by ABRF Research Groups and the broader scientific community.
• ABRF Research Groups Collaborative member groups focused on specific technologies including Flow Cytometry, Genomics, ImmunoHistoChemistry, Light Microscopy, Proteome Informatics and Metabolomics, and Spatial Transcriptomics and Proteomics that conduct multi-center studies and publish findings.
• ABRF Regional Chapters Geographic member networks including MAD SSCi (Mid-Atlantic), MWACD (Midwest), NERLSCD (Northeast), SC3 (South Central), SEASR (Southeastern), and WACD (Western) that provide local networking, professional development, and access to new technologies for shared research resource staff.
• ABRF Compensation Survey Report Annual benchmarking survey providing compensation data and analysis for core facility professionals to understand industry standards and inform institutional decisions.
• ABRF Core Marketplace Platform connecting core facilities with vendors and service providers, supporting operational needs and supplier relationships for research resource facilities.
• ABRF Career Center Online job board and career resources specifically for core facilities professionals, featuring job postings and career development opportunities.
• ABRF Individual Membership Annual individual membership providing access to the Annual Meeting, quarterly Journal of Biomolecular Techniques, Research Group studies, conference scholarships, Core Community platform, ABRF App, career resources, and professional development programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 members and 400+ laboratories represented across government, academia, research, industry and commercial settings
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered signature sponsor, core, strategic, major and regional.

• QIAGENsignature sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQIAGEN is ABRF's Signature Sponsor, providing year-round support for ABRF activities and programs. This sponsorship helps ABRF fulfill its mission of promoting education and career advancement for core facilities professionals.
• AMR (Association Management Resources)coreOthersABRF partners with AMR to provide valuable management services and infrastructure support for ABRF activities. This partnership enables ABRF to operate efficiently with a small staff while maintaining comprehensive member services.
• FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerABRF is affiliated with FASEB, connecting the organization to a broader network of scientific societies and resources.
• Waters CorporationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWaters Corporation sponsors Lightning Talk Awards at the ABRF Annual Meeting, providing prizes for best talks containing original research. Winners receive $500 plus complimentary membership.
• MAD SSCi SponsorsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerMid-Atlantic Directors and Staff of Scientific Cores (MAD SSCi) offers corporate sponsorship opportunities for companies seeking to engage with the core facilities community in the mid-Atlantic region.
• MWACD SponsorsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerMidwestern Association of Core Directors (MWACD) offers sponsorship opportunities for companies targeting the midwest core facilities market.
• NERLSCD SponsorsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerNortheastern Regional Laboratory Staff and Core Directors (NERLSCD) offers sponsorship opportunities for the northeastern US market.
• SEASR SponsorsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerSoutheastern Association of Shared Resources (SEASR) offers corporate sponsorship opportunities for the southeastern core facilities market.
• WACD SponsorsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerWestern Association of Core Directors (WACD) offers sponsorship opportunities for companies engaging with western US core facilities.
• Regional Chapter OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABRF supports five regional chapters (MAD SSCi, MWACD, NERLSCD, SC3, SEASR, WACD) that provide localized networking, professional development, and education opportunities for core facility professionals in their respective geographic areas.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB): ASCB is a professional society supporting cell biologists, including core facility users and operators. Its annual meeting (Cell Bio) and journal (Molecular Biology of the Cell) provide a comparable scale of professional society operations to ABRF.
• Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP): AMP is a professional society for molecular diagnostics and molecular pathology professionals. It serves a niche scientific community with similar membership, conference, and publication models as ABRF, including journal (JMD) and reference materials programs.
• FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology): ABRF is officially affiliated with FASEB, a federation of scientific societies in biological and biomedical sciences. FASEB serves as an umbrella organization for life sciences professional associations, making it a direct structural peer for ABRF's society model and member services.
• International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC): ISAC is the international scientific society for cytometry, including flow cytometry—a core ABRF Research Group focus area. It serves a highly specialized scientific community with comparable membership, conferences, and publications (Cytometry Part A).
• Genetics Society of America (GSA): GSA is a professional scientific membership organization serving genetics researchers, with overlapping genomics research and core facility user communities. It has a similar operating model with conferences, journals (GENETICS, G3), and member services.
• Society for Neuroscience (SfN): SfN is a large professional society for neuroscience researchers, including core facility users and operators. Its annual Neuroscience meeting and Journal of Neuroscience provide a comparable scale of professional society operations to ABRF.
• American Association of Immunologists (AAI): AAI is a professional association of immunologists, with members who use ABRF-style core facilities. It operates with similar annual meetings (IMMUNOLOGY), journals (Journal of Immunology, ImmunoHorizons), and member services, making it a direct peer for society operations.
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): ASBMB is a professional society serving scientists in biochemistry and molecular biology, including core facility professionals. It operates with similar membership, journal (JBC), and annual meeting models, making it a direct peer for ABRF's scientific society operating model.
• American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS): ASMS is the professional society for mass spectrometry and proteomics scientists, an area directly overlapping with ABRF's Proteomics Research Group. It operates with comparable annual conference and specialized membership models.

Broad incumbents

• American Chemical Society (ACS): ACS is a much larger professional society serving chemists and chemical scientists, with broader scope that includes many ABRF member disciplines. As the largest scientific society operator, it provides a benchmarking reference for ABRF's society model at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRF7z6Wai9f246WWKBwUnTA
• Xx.com/myabrf
• Facebookfacebook.com/AssociationBiomolecularResourceFacilities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities