Functional Genomics Center Zurich

What Functional Genomics Center Zurich does

Functional Genomics Center Zurich (FGCZ) is a joint core research facility operated by ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, established in 2002 and headquartered at Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, Switzerland. The center operates as a government/state-affiliated shared scientific infrastructure rather than an independent commercial entity, with no venture capital, private equity, or independent ownership structure in place.

The center provides multi-omics analytical services through five integrated units: Genomics (DNA/RNA sequencing and analysis), Proteomics (mass spectrometry-based protein identification, quantification, and post-translational modification analysis), Metabolomics (metabolite identification, quantification, and metabolic profiling), Biophysics (protein-ligand interaction analysis and binding affinity measurements), and Bioinformatics (computational biology, pipeline development, and custom data analysis). Project initiation and management are centralized through the proprietary B-Fabric information management platform. Additionally, FGCZ offers academic training courses on functional genomics technologies, data analysis methods, and laboratory techniques.

Service delivery is restricted to researchers affiliated with ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, with access gated by ETH user account authentication. The customer base is exclusively academic, pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the center functions as institutional infrastructure funded through the ETH Domain rather than as a revenue-generating commercial business. Marketing is limited to institutional websites, a LinkedIn page, and an X account (@FGCZ_EN). Leadership is provided by Prof. Dr. Ralph Schlapbach, who serves as Head of FGCZ and as a Lecturer in ETH Zurich's Department of Biology.

Name

Functional Genomics Center Zurich

Legal name

Functional Genomics Center Zurich

Website

https://fgcz.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Functional Genomics Center Zurich is a joint core facility of ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich that provides multi-omics services — including genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, biophysics, and bioinformatics — to academic researchers across both institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genomics Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGANAE

Transcriptomics & Gene Expression Profiling Services

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Specialty Lab Services (Genomics/Proteomics/Cellomics)

SECONDARYHLAGANAB

Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Services

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Specialty Lab Services (Genomics/Proteomics/Cellomics)

SECONDARYHLAAANAF

Multi-Omics Precision Medicine Platforms (genomics/proteomics/metabolomics)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Precision Medicine Solutions

Keywords

• Multi-omics research services
• Genomics sequencing analysis
• Proteomics mass spectrometry
• Metabolomics profiling services
• Bioinformatics data analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Functional Genomics Center Zurich is a joint core facility of ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich that delivers specialized analytical services across five units: Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, Biophysics, and Bioinformatics. Researchers access these multi-omics services through the B-Fabric project management platform, with the center also providing training courses on functional genomics technologies.

Product overview

Functional Genomics Center Zurich (FGCZ) is a joint core facility of ETH Zurich and University of Zurich that operates as a multi-unit service center offering specialized analytical services in omics sciences. The center consists of five distinct service units: Genomics Unit, Proteomics Unit, Metabolomics Unit, Biophysics Unit, and Bioinformatics Unit. Each unit provides specialized technical services and analysis capabilities for academic research institutions. Additionally, the center offers educational courses for training researchers in functional genomics technologies. This is a service-oriented facility model where researchers access specialized equipment and expertise rather than purchasing software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Genomics Unit
• Proteomics Unit
• Metabolomics Unit
• Biophysics Unit
• Bioinformatics Unit
• Courses

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETH Zurich is the primary institutional partner operating the Functional Genomics Center Zurich. ETH provides infrastructure, IT services, administrative support, and organizational framework. The center is listed under ETH's departmental structure.
• University of ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operating partner of the Functional Genomics Center Zurich. The center serves researchers from both ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, representing a dual-institutional collaboration between the two major Swiss universities.

Recent moves4 records

Emerging players

• Olink Holding: Specialized proteomics platform providing high-multiplex protein biomarker analysis; comparable to FGCZ's Proteomics Unit in capability but delivered via proprietary commercial kits rather than as core-facility service.
• Metabolon: Commercial metabolomics service provider offering metabolite identification and quantification at scale; directly comparable to FGCZ's Metabolomics Unit but operates as an external commercial provider serving global clients.
• Novogene: Commercial multi-omics service provider offering genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics services globally; directly comparable technology menu and serves academic + pharma clients who could otherwise route work to FGCZ.

Direct peers

• Broad Institute Genomics Platform: Major academic genomics and multi-omics core facility within a leading research institute; highly comparable in mission (shared core facility serving internal researchers) and in scale of technology deployment (sequencing, proteomics, bioinformatics).
• Genomics & Proteomics Core Facility (ETH Zurich, D-BIOL adjacent cores): Other academic multi-omics core facilities within ETH Zurich / University of Zurich that provide comparable genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics services to internal researchers; they compete with FGCZ for the same institutional user base and grant-funded projects.
• SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics: Swiss national bioinformatics infrastructure serving Swiss academic researchers, including ETH/UZH; directly comparable to FGCZ's Bioinformatics Unit in mission and customer overlap, and a natural collaborator/competitor for computational biology demand.
• Functional Genomics Center (FGC) — ETH Zurich D-HEST: Sibling academic functional genomics infrastructure within ETH Zurich, providing comparable omics technologies and bioinformatics support; directly comparable in mission, customer base (ETH researchers), and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Genomics: Global commercial provider of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics services; comparable technology stack but addresses external commercial clients across pharma, biotech, and academia, representing the broader incumbent FGCZ's internal model competes against.
• QIAGEN (Genomics Services / N-of-One-like offerings): Major life science tools and molecular diagnostics company with adjacent genomics / sample-prep / bioinformatics services; comparable in technology category but serves a much broader global market with proprietary consumables and assays.
• BGI Genomics: One of the world's largest genomics service providers, offering sequencing, transcriptomics, proteomics, and multi-omics solutions at industrial scale; comparable in service breadth but global and commercially funded rather than academic infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FGCZ_EN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/functional-genomics-center-zurich

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Functional Genomics Center Zurich