Biointerfaces Institute

What Biointerfaces Institute does

The Biointerfaces Institute (BI) is a University of Michigan research institute founded in 2012, co-locating 39 research groups spanning 12 departments across four academic units — the College of Engineering, School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, and College of Pharmacy — in a 56,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility at the North Campus Research Complex in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The institute organizes work into six interdisciplinary research clusters: Advanced Materials and Drug Delivery, BioInnovations in Brain Cancer, Cell and Tissue Engineering, Nanotechnology, Neural Engineering, and Single Cell Technologies. Its mission is to accelerate biointerfaces research — the juncture between physical and biological systems — through daily face-to-face collaboration between life and physical scientists. BI operates a 950-square-foot Nanotechnicum core facility with advanced particle, thermal, and materials characterization instrumentation, plus shared equipment for confocal and live-cell microscopy, 3D bioprinting, mechanical testing, and extracellular flux analysis.

BI serves University of Michigan researchers as the primary internal user, while also providing fee-for-service access to external academics and industry at tiered rates ranging from $34 to $233 per hour. Revenue is generated through five streams: competitive federal research grants (NIH, NSF, and others — $42.3M in research expenditures in 2025 from 58 of 195 submitted proposals), University of Michigan institutional funding, licensing and option agreements on BI-developed technologies (2 completed in 2025), core facility user fees, and corporate sponsored research via the 1,500-square-foot Integration Space. Since 2012, BI researchers have produced 2,645+ publications, 261,700+ citations, 225+ issued US patents, 362 invention disclosures, and founded 20+ startup companies.

Notable proprietary technology platforms include the Nagrath lab's "labyrinth" microfluidic circulating tumor cell (CTC) isolation chips and CellExoChip platform for cancer diagnostics, the Schwendeman lab's HDL nanoparticle drug delivery systems for glioblastoma, the WETS method for engineered multi-phasic particles, super-omniphobic surface technology, and a wireless fully implantable brain-computer interface developed with Paradromics that completed first in-human recording in June 2025. The institute is governed by Director Joerg Lahann (since 2012), Managing Director Elizabeth Herness Peters, and four Associate Directors covering innovation ecosystem development, clinical translation, internal affairs, and external affairs. BI is a unit of the public University of Michigan and has no separate equity ownership or external shareholders.

Name

Biointerfaces Institute

Legal name

Biointerfaces Institute / University of Michigan

Website

https://biointerfaces.umich.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Biointerfaces Institute is a University of Michigan research hub co-locating 39 interdisciplinary groups across four academic units in a 56,000-square-foot Ann Arbor facility, advancing biointerfaces research, technology licensing, and startup formation in drug delivery, neural engineering, and single-cell technologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Biomedical Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Bioprinting & Biofabrication Systems (Tissue/Cell Printing Hardware) (IMAAAAAG), Biosensors & Lab-on-Chip (BioMEMS) (HDAHALAK), Molecular Diagnostics & Genomics Laboratories (HLAFAMAE)

Keywords

• Interdisciplinary biomedical research
• Nanotechnology research services
• Drug delivery platforms
• Neural engineering research
• University research core facility

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federally Funded Research Grants: Primary revenue stream from competitive federal grant funding (NIH, NSF, and other agencies) awarded to BI researchers and faculty. In 2025, BI researchers submitted 195 proposals and were awarded 58 proposals, generating $42.3M in research expenditures for the year.
2. University and Institutional Funding: Seed funding and institutional support from the University of Michigan, including the Biosciences Initiative (which funded the BioInnovations in Brain Cancer Initiative) and internal challenge/department challenge programs that provide initial funding to multidisciplinary teams.
3. Licensing and Option Agreements: Revenue from option and licensing agreements on BI-developed technologies. In 2025, BI completed two option and licensing agreements, moving laboratory discoveries directly into the commercialization pipeline. Also supports startup company formation.
4. Core Facility User Fees: Fee-for-service revenue from the Nanotechnicum and shared equipment facilities. Three tiers of rates: UM internal, external academic, and external commercial users. Rates range from $34–233/hour depending on user category and service type (operation, training, service, consultation).
5. Corporate Partnerships and Collaborations: Revenue and in-kind support from industry partners engaging in collaborative research, using the Integration Space, or accessing core facilities. Includes sponsored research agreements and consulting arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Biointerfaces Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute within the University of Michigan that co-locates 39 research groups from 12 departments across four academic units to conduct biomaterials, nanotechnology, drug delivery, neural engineering, single-cell and brain cancer research. It operates shared core facilities (Nanotechnicum, microscopy, bioprinting) and a 1,500 sq ft Integration Space for academic and industry collaborators, generating peer-reviewed publications, patents, technology licensing, and startup companies.

Product overview

The Biointerfaces Institute is a university research institute (not a commercial product company) that provides a collaborative research ecosystem with six specialized research clusters: Advanced Materials and Drug Delivery, BioInnovations in Brain Cancer, Cell and Tissue Engineering, Nanotechnology, Neural Engineering, and Single Cell Technologies. The institute operates state-of-the-art research facilities including the Nanotechnicum Core Equipment Facility and Shared Equipment Program, offering advanced instrumentation for particle characterization, thermal analysis, materials characterization, microscopy, and 3D bioprinting. Additionally, the institute has developed specific research technologies including the CellExoChip microfluidic platform for cancer research and wireless brain-computer interface technology for neural applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster focused on understanding fundamental principles of cell biology and developing novel technologies for manipulating biological materials, including tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• Nanotechnology Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster that probes nanomaterial self-assembly through simulation and develops nanotubes, nanoprobes, nanocatalysts, and nanostructures for applications in medicine, energy conversion, and electronics. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• Neural Engineering Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster developing methods to probe the nervous system and generate novel neural interfaces, including electrode and prosthesis development and brain-machine interface research. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• Single Cell Technologies Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster building synergistic scientific and technological platforms to understand individual cells through convergence of biology, computation, and engineering. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• Advanced Materials and Drug Delivery Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster creating cutting-edge biomaterials for high-impact biomedical applications and developing paradigm-changing approaches and systems for advanced drug delivery. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• BioInnovations in Brain Cancer Research Cluster Interdisciplinary research cluster driving innovation and translation to deliver technological breakthroughs and real impact for brain cancer patients through interdisciplinary collaboration. For UM faculty, students, postdocs, and industry collaborators.
• Nanotechnicum Core Equipment Facility 950 sq ft dedicated core facility offering particle characterization (Mastersizer 2000, Nanosight NS300, Zetasizer Nano ZSP, Zetaview QUATT), thermal analysis (Discovery DSC, TGA, Nano DSC, Nano ITC), materials characterization (CPL-300, FluoroMax Plus, FTIR, CD spectrometers, OpenSPR-XT, Porosimeter), and chiral spectroscopy. Available to UM researchers, external academic institutions, and external commercial/industry users at tiered rates.
• Shared Equipment Program Fee-for-service access to advanced research equipment including 3D bioprinters, confocal microscopes, live cell imaging systems, plate readers, rheometers, and Seahorse extracellular flux analyzers. Available to UM researchers, external academic institutions, and external commercial/industry users.
• Integration Space Configurable 1,500 sq ft Integration Space where BI researchers and their academic and industry partners can collaborate side-by-side for up to a year, accelerating bench-to-bedside results. For visiting academic and industry collaborators.

Quantifiable outcome

• $257M in cumulative research expenditures since 2012; $42.3M in 2025 alone
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

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

• ParadromicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Paradromics, a neurotechnology company developing wireless brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), partnered with BI researchers including Dr. Matthew Willsey, Dr. Enrico Opri, and Dr. William Stacey. In June 2025, the team completed the first in-human recording with Paradromics' novel wireless, fully implantable BCI at U-M. Dr. Willsey was named Paradromics' U-M Site Investigator for the Connexus R BCI Clinical Study. The device has over four times the sensors of comparable prior technology.
• McGill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025BI researcher Dr. Sasha Cai Lesher-Pérez collaborated with McGill University in a unique 3-day challenge to fast-track microgel innovation for wound healing and regenerative medicine applications, achieving a functional system that improved microgel production over traditional SPG emulsion methods.
• University of Michigan College of Engineering, College of Pharmacy, Dental School, and Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Four major UM academic units co-fund and co-support the Biointerfaces Institute and its Nanotechnicum core facility. The institute's 39 research groups come from these four units, enabling the interdisciplinary collaboration that is central to BI's mission.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Stanford University and the University of Michigan received $19M in federal funding (with Cindy Chestek as a key BI researcher) for the design and construction of long-term brain-computer implants to help stroke patients regain speech. The collaboration combines Stanford's BCI expertise with U-M's neural interface research capabilities.
• NSF Science and Technology Center for Complex Particle Systems (COMPASS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Biointerfaces Institute co-hosts the COMPASS Challenge with the NSF Science and Technology Center for Complex Particle Systems. The annual interdisciplinary competition brings together researchers to tackle complex real-world problems at the interface of biology and engineering, with a focus on brain health technologies in 2025.
• U-M Biosciences InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Biosciences Initiative provided follow-on funding to the BioInnovations in Brain Cancer Initiative (BIBC) in 2019, which nucleated at a BI Challenge workshop in 2013. This institutional partnership has been central to BI's brain cancer research program.
• Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Life Sciences Innovation HubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTRAC awarded over $2.1M in 2025 across 12 innovative biomedical research projects including Efficient Modulation of Neuronal Gene Expression Using Peripherally Administered Bispecific Antibody-Nucleic Acid Conjugates by BI researchers Colin Greineder and Peter Tessier. The program supports translation of BI research into commercial applications.
• Charles River LaboratoriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Samuel Chuang from Charles River served as the industry speaker at BI's Research Day 2025, providing industry perspective to BI researchers and fostering connections between academic research and the pharmaceutical/biotech industry.
• NSF I-Corps, Nucleate Activator, AB FoundryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBI Innovation Fellows and faculty participate in these startup accelerator and incubator programs to explore commercialization pathways for faculty inventions. Programs provide entrepreneurship training and connect BI innovations with the startup ecosystem.
• North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) — University of MichigancoreOthersBI is located within and operates from the University of Michigan's North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), a large research campus that provides infrastructure, administrative support, and shared services to affiliated institutes and centers.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Large biomedical research organization supporting ~300 investigators across U.S. universities with substantial translational infrastructure. Comparable in research output scale and HHMI Investigator model but operates through investigator grants rather than co-located faculty.
• Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy: Multi-institution cancer immunotherapy research organization with affiliated academic centers. Comparable in translational research mandate and industry partnership model, though narrower in disease focus than BI.

Regional players

• Institut Pasteur: Internationally renowned French biomedical research institute with 2,700+ staff, multi-disciplinary research departments, and a global technology transfer arm. Comparable in institute structure and translational outputs, though operating primarily in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Independent nonprofit biological and medical research institute with multi-disciplinary faculty in neuroscience, cancer, and plant biology. Comparable in high-output research publication profile and academic-industry collaboration model.
• Scripps Research: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute with 250+ faculty focused on immunology, neuroscience, and chemistry. Comparable in translational pipeline (patents, spinouts), faculty-driven cluster structure, and core facility offerings.
• Allen Institute: Large-scale, multi-program scientific research organization with deep investments in brain science, cell science, and AI. Comparable in large research footprint, talent concentration, and translational output model, though focused on fewer, deeper programs than BI.
• Gladstone Institutes: UCSF-affiliated independent biomedical research institute with multiple research programs and strong technology translation track record. Comparable in scale (~500+ researchers), research depth, and industry-academic hybrid model.
• Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering: Harvard University-based interdisciplinary research institute focused on bioinspired materials, biomedical devices, and translational engineering. Operates a similar co-located, cluster-based model with industry partnership and licensing pathways comparable to BI's six-cluster structure.
• Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research: MIT-based cancer research institute organized around interdisciplinary research platforms (nanotechnology, engineering, biology) with strong industry collaboration and translational outputs. Directly comparable to BI's BioInnovations in Brain Cancer and Nanotechnology clusters.
• Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research: MIT-affiliated independent biomedical research institute with 17 principal investigators and strong patent/startup track record. Comparable in research culture, technology translation pipeline, and university-affiliated governance model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMBiointerfaces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-michigan-biointerfaces-institute/?viewAsMember=true
• Facebookfacebook.com/universityofmichigan

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Biointerfaces Institute