Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud

What Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud does

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) is Panama's national public health research institution and central reference laboratory, operating under the Ministerio de Salud (MINSA) pursuant to Law 78 of 2003. Tracing its institutional lineage to the 1919 Gorgas Hospital, ICGES runs the Laboratorio Central de Referencia en Salud Pública (LCRSP) and the Laboratorio de Referencia de Alimentos y Aguas, alongside ten research departments organized under the Dirección de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (DIDETEC) — covering genomics and proteomics, virology and biotechnology, medical entomology, parasitology, emerging and zoonotic diseases, health systems, sexual and reproductive health, and geographic information systems. Its technology stack includes whole-genome sequencing (Illumina NGS, Oxford Nanopore), Deeplex-MycTB targeted sequencing for tuberculosis drug resistance, flow cytometry at the Centro de Citometría, BSL-3 laboratories, and bioinformatics pipelines for pathogen surveillance.

ICGES serves MINSA's national disease control programs (tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, influenza, hantavirus, dengue, Zika, Chikungunya), the public laboratory network via reference testing and quality assurance, private laboratories requiring confirmatory diagnostics, food and water producers under Law 66 of 1947 sanitary code enforcement, and clinical patients through the Clínica de Medicina Tropical, Clínica de Lepra, and Clínica de Infertilidad. Revenue is derived primarily from Panamanian government budget allocations, supplemented by fee-for-service reference laboratory testing (Tasas y Servicios schedule), sanitary registration fees, and international cooperation grants from PAHO/WHO, CDC, JICA, and SENACYT. The institution functions as Panama's sole National Influenza Centre and, since December 18, 2025, as the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Sequencing and Genomics of Epidemic/Pandemic Pathogens — the only such designation at national and regional levels.

Name

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud

Legal name

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES)

Website

https://gorgas.gob.pa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) is Panama's national public health research institute and central reference laboratory under the Ministry of Health, operating WHO-designated genomic surveillance, ISO 15189-accredited TB and Leptospira testing, and tropical medicine clinical services for the national and Central American public health system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Reference Laboratory Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Testing Laboratories (HLAFAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disease-Specific Reference Laboratory Networks (e.g., TB, HIV, Influenza) (HLAJAIAD), Laboratory-Based Surveillance & Genomic Epidemiology (WGS/NGS) (HLAJABAC), Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC), Pathogen & Disease Diagnostics Services (Plant, Soil, Water) (AFACAKAG)

Keywords

• Public health research
• Reference laboratory services
• Genomic surveillance
• Tropical medicine
• Epidemiological surveillance

Headquarters

HQ city

Calidonia

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Public/government institutional funding: As a public health research institution under Panama's Ministry of Health (MINSA), ICGES receives government budgetary allocations. It was created by Law 78 of 2003 and operates under the regulatory framework of the Panamanian public health system.
2. Laboratory diagnostic services and fees: The institution provides reference laboratory diagnostic services to public and private laboratories and charges fees as established by its 'Tasas y Servicios' schedule. Services include clinical diagnostics, food and water testing, and specialized reference testing.
3. Sanitary registration services: ICGES operates a Registro Sanitario (Sanitary Registry) function, issuing registrations for medical devices and other health-related products under MINSA licensing frameworks.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ICGES operates Panama's Central Public Health Reference Laboratory (LCRSP) and Food and Water Reference Laboratory, providing specialized diagnostic testing, genomic surveillance of epidemic-prone pathogens, infectious disease research across 10 research departments, clinical services in tropical medicine, leprosy and infertility, and professional training programs. The institution serves as the National Influenza Centre and the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Sequencing and Genomics of Epidemic/Pandemic Pathogens, functioning as the technical-scientific arm of Panama's Ministry of Health (MINSA) and as a regional reference hub for Central America and the Caribbean.

Product overview

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) is Panama's national public health research institute and reference laboratory. The institution operates as a unified platform comprising clinical services (Clínica de Medicina Tropical, Clínica de Infertilidad, Clínica de Lepra), two core reference laboratories (Laboratorio Central de Referencia en Salud Pública and Laboratorio de Referencia de Alimentos y Aguas), multiple specialized research departments (Genómica y Proteómica, Virología y Biotecnología, Entomología Médica, Parasitología, Enfermedades Emergentes y Zoonóticas), and educational programs. The product portfolio centers on public health laboratory diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, clinical care for tropical and infectious diseases, scientific research, and professional training, all coordinated through the Dirección de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (DIDETEC).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gorgas Conecta: Science outreach initiative by DIDETEC promoting scientific exchange and community engagement in health topics
• Ciencia en 360

Products and services

• Laboratorio Central de Referencia en Salud Pública (LCRSP) Central reference laboratory providing diagnostic, confirmatory and surveillance laboratory services in clinical biochemistry, parasitology and malaria, clinical microbiology, immunovirology and mycobacteriology, serving public and private laboratories across Panama to strengthen epidemiological monitoring programs.
• Laboratorio de Referencia de Alimentos y Aguas Reference laboratory providing chemical and microbiological testing services for food and water safety, supporting compliance with sanitary regulations and serving food producers, distributors and regulatory bodies.
• Clínica de Medicina Tropical Specialized clinical care for patients with tropical diseases, integrated within the Unit of Clinical and Tropical Medicine, serving patients referred through Panama's public health system.
• Clínica de Infertilidad Specialized infertility clinic providing diagnostic and treatment services for reproductive health, with research links to ICGES's sexual and reproductive health department.
• Genomic Surveillance and Sequencing Services Whole genome sequencing (WGS), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Oxford Nanopore-based genomic surveillance services for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis, foodborne pathogens (Salmonella), hantavirus, arenavirus and other epidemic-prone pathogens, delivered as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre and National Influenza Centre.
• Registro Sanitario Health registration services issuing sanitary registrations for medical devices and health-related products under Panama's Ministry of Health licensing frameworks.
• Programa de Docencia e Internacional de Capacitación Internship programs, medical residencies, scholarships and specialized international training courses in genomic surveillance, bioinformatics, tropical medicine and laboratory techniques for health professionals from Panama, Central America and the Caribbean.
• Catálogo de Pruebas (Test Catalog) Catalog of diagnostic tests and laboratory services offered under ICGES's Tasas y Servicios fee schedule, available to public and private laboratories on a fee-for-service basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced Panama's adult tobacco prevalence to 5.1% in 2020 — the lowest in the region — through research-driven public health policy supported by ICGES.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SF500 (Scientific Fund for Scientific Innovation)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026SF500 and SENACYT visited ICGES in July 2026 to exchange experiences on mechanisms facilitating the transfer of scientific knowledge toward innovation processes, and to explore opportunities for strengthening the connection between research, scientific entrepreneurship, and investment in emerging technologies.
• SENACYT (Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Panama)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026SENACYT is a key national partner supporting ICGES through the New Researchers Program (B/.1,086,607.37 invested in 58 projects, generating 50 theses and 29 indexed publications), research mobility programs, and science promotion events. SENACYT and ICGES signed a cooperation agreement on research grants and joint initiatives. ICGES hosted SF500 and SENACYT for a visit to strengthen scientific entrepreneurship and innovation transfer linkages.
• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026CDC collaborates with ICGES on multiple fronts: as a key partner in the SARInet International Meeting on Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (March 2026), contributing to the Global Influenza Programme and pandemic preparedness; through the Cooperative Agreement on Enteric Diseases (Phase III) covering genomic surveillance for foodborne pathogens; and on hantavirus/arenavirus surveillance guideline development. CDC representatives participated in the hantavirus/arenavirus surveillance strengthening workshop in Panama in March 2024 alongside INEVH Argentina and PAHO.
• CDC — Cooperative Agreement on Enteric Diseases (Phase III) via SE-COMISCA/SICAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026The Genomic Sequencing and Bioinformatics Training Workshop for Salmonella spp. (March 18–25, 2026) was conducted under the CDC Cooperative Agreement on Enteric Diseases Phase III, coordinated with the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America (SE-COMISCA) and the System of Central American Integration (SICA). ICGES collaborated with INCIENSA (Costa Rica) in delivering the training.
• PAHO/WHO (Panamerican Health Organization / World Health Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025ICGES's Department of Genómica y Proteómica was officially designated as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Sequencing and Genomics of Epidemic/Pandemic Pathogens on December 18, 2025. This is the only such designation in Panama and the region. ICGES assumes roles in developing, validating, and updating sequencing protocols for high-priority pathogens; developing new methodologies; providing technical reviews; and organizing regional training courses (NGS, Oxford Nanopore, genomic library preparation, bioinformatics) for PAHO member states in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• INEVH (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas, Argentina)coreTechnology or Integration · 11 March 2024INEVH (Argentina) partnered with ICGES, CDC, and PAHO on regional hantavirus/arenavirus surveillance. Experts from INEVH participated in the regional workshop in Panama (March 11–15, 2024) to develop technical and conceptual materials incorporating ecological surveillance and sequencing components for regional guidelines.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2023ICGES and JICA jointly conduct the International Course on 'Development of Capacities for Genomic Surveillance of Infectious Diseases,' a multi-country training program covering genomic sequencing, bioinformatics, and pathogen surveillance. The second edition took place October 2–20, 2023 at ICGES facilities, training professionals from El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Panama. The course was led by Dr. Alexander Martínez (Jefe, Department of Genómica y Proteómica). Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, President of JICA, visited ICGES in May 2024, and H.S. Makoto Kanagawa served as JICA representative in Panama.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) — supporting PAHO/WHO Collaborating CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJICA provided support for ICGES's designation as PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre and continues to support genomic surveillance capacity building. Dr. Nicanor Obaldía Rodríguez explicitly acknowledged JICA's support as instrumental to achieving this designation.
• OPS/OMS Panama Country OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAHO/WHO maintains an active country presence in Panama through Dra. Ana Rivière Cinnamond, Representative. PAHO collaborates with ICGES on influenza surveillance (as the National Influenza Centre), hantavirus/arenavirus workshops, leishmaniasis programs, and access to vaccines and strategic supplies through the Regional Revolving Funds.
• CIMUS — Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, SpainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearchers from CIMUS (Centro Singular de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas) of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, delivered scientific conferences at ICGES on 'Ubiquitin-like proteins in virus and cancer' (November 26, 2025) and 'Cell senescence, cancer and aging' (December 4, 2025), as part of a SENACYT-funded mobility project.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital participated in the SARInet International Meeting hosted by ICGES in March 2026, contributing to global influenza surveillance discussions alongside CDC, PAHO/WHO, and the WHO Global Influenza Programme.
• The Francis Crick Institute, UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Francis Crick Institute participated in the SARInet International Meeting hosted by ICGES in March 2026, contributing expertise to the global influenza surveillance network alongside CDC, PAHO/WHO, and WHO experts.
• WHO Global Influenza ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO's Global Influenza Programme leaders participated in the SARInet meeting hosted by ICGES in March 2026. As National Influenza Centre, ICGES contributes data to and receives guidance from the WHO Global Influenza Programme for pandemic preparedness and seasonal influenza surveillance.
• CDC FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CDC Foundation collaborated on the II Encuesta Mundial de Tabaco en Adultos (EMTA/GATS) 2025, co-facilitated at ICGES alongside MINSA, INEC, PAHO/WHO, and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTFK participated in the EMTA/GATS 2025 analysis workshop held at ICGES, contributing to the technical review of tobacco surveillance data alongside PAHO/WHO, CDC Foundation, MINSA, and INEC.
• MINSA (Ministerio de Salud, Panama)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINSA is ICGES's parent ministry and primary government counterpart. Law 78 of 2003 established ICGES under MINSA's hierarchical structure. The two institutions cooperate on all national disease surveillance, outbreak response, and public health programs (tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, influenza, hantavirus, vaccination policy). The CIIS (Consejo de Investigación e Innovación para la Salud) was installed under MINSA's leadership with ICGES participation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Institut Pasteur: Global network of biomedical research institutes with a comparable model combining infectious disease research, reference laboratory services, and public health surveillance. Comparable in mandate but operates at substantially larger international scale than ICGES.
• Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine: Germany's national reference center for tropical and infectious diseases, combining research, reference diagnostics, and clinical tropical medicine. Comparable in integrated tropical medicine model though operating in a high-income European context.

Direct peers

• Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud (INCIENSA): Costa Rica's national reference laboratory for foodborne and infectious disease surveillance, co-delivering Salmonella sequencing training with ICGES under the CDC-SE-COMISCA agreement. Directly comparable as a Central American public health reference laboratory partner.
• INDICASAT-AIP: Panama's other national scientific research institute, collaborating with ICGES on research activities and joint science promotion events such as the International Book Fair. Directly comparable as a Panama-based government-affiliated biomedical research institution.
• Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz): Brazil's premier public health research institute under the Ministry of Health, operating reference laboratories, biomedical research, and epidemiological surveillance across Latin America. Directly comparable to ICGES as a national public health reference and research institution, but at significantly greater scale and with a broader portfolio.
• Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí (IPK): Cuba's leading tropical medicine and infectious disease research institute, participating in ICGES/JICA genomic surveillance training. Directly comparable as a Caribbean public-sector tropical medicine reference and research institution.
• Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas (INEVH): Argentina's national reference institute for human viral diseases, co-developing hantavirus/arenavirus surveillance guidelines with ICGES, CDC, and PAHO. Directly comparable as a Latin American public-sector viral reference laboratory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InstitutoGorgas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@institutoconmemorativogorgas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-conmemorativo-gorgas
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutogorgas_oficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/institutogorgas

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud