Institute of Life Sciences

What Institute of Life Sciences does

Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) is an autonomous research institute established on February 11, 1989 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and operating since August 2002 under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Originally founded under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Orissa, it was elevated to a national institute under DBT in 2002. The institute conducts multidisciplinary life sciences research across four core areas: Infectious Disease Biology, Cancer Biology, Genetic and Autoimmune Disorders, and Plant and Microbial Biotechnology, using state-of-the-art technologies spanning molecular biology, immunology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, structural biology, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, and animal models including zebrafish and K18-ACE2 transgenic mice.

ILS delivers a portfolio of research outputs and services beyond its core research mandate. The Scientific Services portfolio includes fee-for-service access to advanced instrumentation (flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, next-generation sequencing), a NABL-accredited Immunogenicity Assay Platform co-developed with BIRAC, an ABSL-3 facility for antiviral and vaccine evaluation, a Drug Screening Platform, a Bioincubation Facility for biotech startups, a Bioinformatics Facility, and a Mass Spectrometry platform established under the DBT SAHAJ Infrastructure Program. Translational research is organized into three streams: Precision Bio Therapeutics, Functional Foods and Smart Proteins, and Climate Resilient Agriculture. Academic offerings include a Ph.D. program (in collaboration with DBT-RCB Faridabad, Utkal University, Manipal University, and KIIT University), short-term training (1-3 months), and Master's thesis dissertation projects (4-6 months), with 205 Ph.D. degrees awarded cumulatively and 899 publications and 47 patents produced.

ILS generates the majority of its operating budget through DBT government allocations, supplemented by BIRAC co-funding for designated platforms and modest fee-for-service revenue from instrument access (INR 200-10,000/hr), bioincubation rentals (INR 2,000-17,000/month), biovalidation studies (INR 10,000-500,000 per assay), and training programs (INR 7,000-35,000 for 1-6 months). Its customer base is horizontal: primary users are Ph.D. students and research scholars, followed by biotech industries seeking contract research and facility access, government and academic institutions, and public-funded R&D organizations. Distribution is regional, primarily Odisha and surrounding South Asia markets, through direct engagement and awareness channels such as the institute's website, periodic newsletters, scientific outreach events, and conference presentations. The institute is currently led by Director Dr. Debasis Dash.

Name

Institute of Life Sciences

Legal name

Institute of Life Sciences (ILS)

Website

https://ils.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Institute of Life Sciences is a Bhubaneswar-based, government autonomous research institute under India's Department of Biotechnology, conducting multidisciplinary life sciences research on infectious diseases, cancer, and genetic disorders, while providing fee-for-service instrumentation, biosafety testing, and academic programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotechnology Research Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell-Based & Potency Assays (Bioassays) (HLAGADAH), Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB), Clinical Trial Informatics (EDC/CTMS/eCOA/eTMF) (HLAGAJAM)

Keywords

• Biotechnology research
• Life sciences research
• Infectious disease biology
• Cancer biology research
• Animal model services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bhubaneswar

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) is an autonomous government research institute under India's Department of Biotechnology that conducts multi-disciplinary life sciences research spanning infectious disease biology, cancer biology, genetic and autoimmune diseases, and plant and microbial biotechnology. It monetizes its scientific infrastructure by offering fee-for-service access to advanced instrumentation, ABSL-3 biocontainment, immunogenicity assays, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, NGS, and a NABL-accredited bioincubation facility. It also delivers academic programs including a Ph.D. programme and short-term training, and develops transgenic animal models (e.g., K18-ACE2 mice) used by external researchers.

Product overview

Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar, is an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, operating as a premier biotechnology research institute rather than a traditional product company. The institute offers a portfolio of research services, scientific facilities, and academic programs organized around four core research thrusts: Infectious Disease Biology, Cancer Biology, Genetic & Autoimmune Disorders, and Plant & Microbial Biotechnology. The services include fee-for-service advanced instrumentation (flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, NGS sequencing), specialized biosafety facilities (ABSL-3), NABL-accredited immunogenicity testing, drug screening platforms, and bioincubation services for biotech startups. Academic offerings include Ph.D. programs through partner universities and short-term training programs. The institute's Translational Research wing focuses on Precision Bio Therapeutics, Functional Foods & Smart Proteins, and Climate Resilient Agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BRIC-ILS MS: Advanced Mass Spectrometry platform at ILS Bhubaneswar, supported by DBT SAHAJ-Infrastructure Program
• ABSL-3 Facility
• Immunogenicity Assay Facility

Products and services

• ABSL-3 Biocontainment Facility Access

Quantifiable outcome

• 899 publications and 47 patents demonstrate research productivity
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DBT-BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• DBT-Regional Centre of Biotechnology, FaridabadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Utkal UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Manipal UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• KIIT UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• ICMR-RMRC (Indian Council of Medical Research - Regional Medical Research Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• CIFA (Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• CHESSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• RMRC (Regional Medical Research Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Neighbouring HospitalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Institute of Immunology (NII): DBT autonomous research institute in New Delhi focused on immunology and immune-related disorders. Highly comparable to ILS in mandate, funding source, and core research on genetic/autoimmune diseases and infectious disease biology.
• Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD): DBT autonomous institute under BRIC in Hyderabad doing diagnostics, disease genetics, and molecular biology research. Comparable to ILS in disease-biology research, diagnostic assay development, and DBT-family peer group.
• Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB): Autonomous CSIR life-sciences research institute in Hyderabad. Like ILS, it is a government-funded research institute doing biotech R&D (infectious disease, genetics, cell biology) with advanced instrumentation and Ph.D. programs, making it a direct peer for funding, talent, and service contracts.
• Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB): DBT-affiliated academic and research institution in Faridabad. Directly comparable to ILS for shared DBT funding pool, biotechnology R&D mandate, and translational research areas. Notably, RCB is already an ILS partner for Ph.D. scholar registration.
• Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI): DBT autonomous institute under BRIC focused on translational health research, vaccines, and infectious diseases. Highly comparable to ILS in translational mandate, ABSL-class facilities, and partnership with BIRAC for clinical vaccine evaluation work.
• National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS): DBT/TIFR-affiliated life-sciences research institute in Bangalore. Comparable to ILS as a government-funded multidisciplinary biology research institute with core research areas spanning cell biology, genetics, neuroscience, and disease biology, plus Ph.D. programs.
• International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB): Multilateral research organization with its main Delhi component conducting biotech R&D. Similar to ILS in working on infectious diseases, cancer, and translational biotechnology, and competing for similar international grants and partnerships.
• Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB): CSIR life-sciences institute in Delhi focused on genomics, bioinformatics, and disease biology. Comparable to ILS in disease biology research, bioinformatics facility, and Ph.D. training, and a direct competitor for national genomics funding.

Regional players

• Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER): India's IISER network performs advanced life-sciences research along with teaching. IISER Pune runs comparable molecular biology, genomics, and infectious disease programs, making it a peer for faculty hiring, student flow, and research-grant competition.

Broad incumbents

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc): Larger and broader Indian research university with a Division of Biological Sciences covering much of the same ground as ILS — infectious disease, cancer biology, genetic diseases, and bioprocess work — but at significantly greater scale and with broader non-biology departments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ILSBBSR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dbt-ils

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Life Sciences