Institute of Oncology Research

What Institute of Oncology Research does

The Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) is a private, non-profit cancer research foundation located in Bellinzona, Switzerland, affiliated with Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and operating as part of the Bellinzona Institutes of Science (Bios+) cluster alongside the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB). Founded in 2003 and directed by Prof. Andrea Alimonti, IOR hosts more than 120 staff across eight research groups and 20+ research lines focusing on cancer biology, genomics, molecular oncology, and experimental therapeutics, with major emphasis on lymphomas and epithelial cancers (prostate, breast, and ovarian). Core research infrastructure includes Preclinical Imaging, Experimental Pathology with the MACSima cyclic immunofluorescence platform, Genomics, Flow Cytometry, Mass Spectrometry, Bioinformatics, and Electron Microscopy facilities, supporting more than 760 published papers and more than 60 awarded PhDs.

IOR's underlying technology stack combines proprietary wet-lab platforms — including the MACSima system capable of resolving up to 400 markers versus 4-5 for manual immunofluorescence, hPSC-based organoid cancer models, and an anti-mERG minibody therapeutic — with central data-generating core facilities. Research outputs are distributed through peer-reviewed publications, international conferences (ICML, IELSG, IPCS, Castelgrande Lectures), and collaborations with clinical partners (IOSI, EOC) and academic centres (MSKCC, ICGEB Cape Town, Portuguese Oncology Institute Porto), as well as the IELSG-managed network spanning more than 300 research centres worldwide.

The institute's revenue model is grant-based: IOR is funded through competitive awards from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), European Research Council (ERC), Swiss Cancer Research Foundation, and Innosuisse, supplemented by institutional support from USI. Pricing is not applicable as IOR does not sell commercial products or services, although the institute has executed technology transfer via a licensing agreement and the MicThera spin-off, and holds a pending patent on a microbiome-derived prostate cancer therapeutic. Customer segments are academic and clinical — researchers, clinicians, and institutions engaged in basic and translational oncology — rather than paying commercial customers.

Name

Institute of Oncology Research

Legal name

Institute of Oncology Research

Website

https://ior.usi.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) is a Swiss non-profit cancer research foundation in Bellinzona, affiliated with USI, conducting basic and translational oncology research across eight groups covering lymphomas, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers, funded primarily through competitive grants (SNSF, ERC, Innosuisse, Swiss Cancer Research Foundation).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR) (HLAGADAF), Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Services (HLAGANAB), Genitourinary Oncology (HLAKAFAM)

Keywords

• Cancer research services
• Translational oncology research
• Preclinical imaging services
• Biomedical core facilities
• Molecular oncology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellinzona

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

Revenue model

1. Research grant funding: IOR operates as a research institute funded primarily through competitive grants from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), European Research Council (ERC), Swiss Cancer Research Foundation, Innosuisse, and other funding agencies. The institute also receives institutional support from USI (Università della Svizzera italiana) and operates through an independent foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) is a non-profit research institute conducting basic and translational oncology research with focus on cancer biology, genomics, molecular oncology, and experimental therapeutics. It operates eight research groups, supports a PhD training program, and provides centralized core facility services (preclinical imaging, experimental pathology, genomics, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, electron microscopy) to advance understanding and treatment of lymphomas and epithelial cancers (prostate, breast, ovarian).

Product overview

The Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) is a Swiss cancer research institute affiliated with Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), operating under an independent foundation. Rather than commercial products, IOR provides research services through eight research groups focused on solid tumors and hematological malignancies, supported by centralized core facilities offering specialized instrumentation and technical expertise. The research groups conduct basic and translational oncology research with focus areas including cancer immunotherapy, experimental hematology, functional cancer genomics, molecular oncology, and prostate cancer biology. The core facilities provide services in preclinical imaging, experimental pathology with spatial proteomics (including MACSima cyclic immunofluorescence), genomics, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, electron microscopy, and histology. IOR also supports technology transfer through its Technology Transfer Office and has facilitated the spin-off company MicThera from its microbiome research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Research Facilities Centralized core facilities providing specialized instrumentation and technical services supporting cancer research, including preclinical imaging, experimental pathology, genomics, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, electron microscopy, and histology services.
• Preclinical Imaging Facility Provides non-invasive longitudinal imaging technologies for small-animal preclinical studies using optical imaging systems (IVIS Spectrum, Newton FT500) and high-frequency ultrasound (Vevo 3100).
• Experimental Pathology Facility Offers integrated histopathology and spatial proteomics services including tissue processing, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, RNAscope RNA in situ hybridization, and cyclic immunofluorescence using the MACSima platform for high-dimensional tissue imaging.
• MACSima Antibody Repository A web-based tool allowing users to browse validated in-house antibodies available for MACSima cyclic immunofluorescence imaging experiments, including target, fluorochrome, and staining quality information.
• Stem Cells and Cancer Research Program Studies oncogenic competence in melanoma using human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technologies, organoid models, and mouse biology to understand how epigenetic developmental programs regulate cancer initiation and metastasis.
• Prostate Cancer Biology Research Program Investigates mechanisms of prostate cancer progression, focusing on ERG fusion-positive cancers, extracellular vesicles as metastasis mediators, EZH2-ERG oncogenic pathways, and development of anti-mERG minibody therapeutics.
• PhD Program in Oncology Research Doctoral training program in oncology research, with PhD lectures and education tracks; institute has awarded over 60 PhD degrees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Published > 760 scientific publications in major journals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major, international and regional.

• International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998IELSG is managed by the IOR Foundation and was founded in 1998 with the aim of promoting the study of extranodal lymphoma biology and improving therapeutic outcomes. The group brings together multidisciplinary international experts from over 300 research centres worldwide. Prof. Franco Cavalli chairs IELSG with Prof. Emanuele Zucca as Scientific Director.
• Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOR is affiliated to USI and operates as part of its academic ecosystem. The institute is located in Bellinzona and collaborates with USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. Prof. Andrea Alimonti serves as Full Professor at USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Director of IOR.
• Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOR is co-located with IRB in the Bellinzona Institutes of Science (Bios+) complex. The two institutes collaborate extensively on biomedical research, with IRB hosting the Comparative Biology Facility that IOR's Preclinical Imaging Facility is embedded within.
• Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOSI is a clinical oncology institute that collaborates with IOR on translational and clinical research, particularly in cancer immunotherapy and immuno-oncology approaches. The collaboration brings together basic research and clinical expertise.
• Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEOC is the cantonal hospital organization that provides clinical infrastructure and patient access for IOR's translational research activities. IOR collaborates with various EOC departments including IOSI.
• MicTheraflagshipTechnology or IntegrationMicThera is a biotech startup spun off from IOR research, co-founded by Prof. Andrea Alimonti (IOR Director) and Nicolò Pernigoni (CEO). The company is developing microbiome-based therapeutics for castration-resistant prostate cancer based on discoveries made at IOR. IOR has a licensing agreement with MicThera for relevant IP.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOR's Stem Cells and Cancer Lab (Dr. Arianna Baggiolini) collaborated with Dr. Lorenz Studer's laboratory at MSKCC on research including the development of brain organoid models and studies on melanoma oncogenic competence.
• International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape TowninternationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on exosome research in prostate cancer, studying how microRNA fragments released through exosomes contribute to metastasis formation.
• Portuguese Oncology Institute, PortointernationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational clinical centre collaborating on prostate cancer research involving exosomes and microRNA mechanisms of metastasis.
• Cardiocentro TicinoregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical centre in Ticino collaborating on prostate cancer research projects studying exosomes and cancer progression mechanisms.
• Bios+ (Bellinzona Institutes of Science)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOR is a member of the Bios+ cluster, a life sciences research consortium in Bellinzona that includes IRB and IOR, working together to advance biomedical research in the region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wellcome Sanger Institute: UK-based genomics and genetics research institute focused on cancer and other diseases. Highly comparable to IOR's genomics, bioinformatics, and cancer biology groups in technology platform and research approach, as well as in non-profit grant-funded operations model.
• Institute of Cancer Research (ICR): UK-based academic cancer research institute conducting basic and translational research. Highly comparable to IOR in mission, structure, and funding model — competitive research grant funding, principal-investigator group structure, and emphasis on translational oncology.
• European Institute of Oncology (IEO): Italian non-profit oncology research and treatment institute integrating clinical care and basic research. Directly comparable to IOR in mission and geographic context (IEO in Milan, IOR in southern Switzerland) and in translational oncology focus, though larger clinical footprint.
• Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI): Swiss biomedical research institute affiliated with University of Basel and the Novartis Research Foundation, conducting basic research in epigenetics, neurobiology, and quantitative biology. Comparable to IOR as a Swiss non-profit research institute with similar funding model and academic affiliation.
• Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB): Bellinzona-based biomedical research institute co-located with IOR in the Bios+ cluster. Highly comparable peer — independent foundation, university-affiliated, operates shared comparative biology facility with IOR, and pursues overlapping basic/translational research.

Broad incumbents

• German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): Germany's largest biomedical research institute and a member of the Helmholtz Association, focused on cancer research across all major disease areas. Comparable to IOR in mission but materially larger (>3,000 staff) with broader disease-area coverage.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC): US-based cancer research and treatment center operating at substantially larger scale. IOR has active research collaborations with MSKCC (Dr. Baggiolini's postdoc and ongoing organoid work with Lorenz Studer), making it a meaningful scientific peer despite scale differences.
• The Francis Crick Institute: UK-based biomedical research institute formed by partnership of six research organizations. Comparable to IOR in basic and translational cancer research mission but operates at substantially larger scale (>1,500 scientists) and with broader disease coverage.
• Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Private non-profit research and education institution focused on cancer biology, neuroscience, and plant biology. Comparable to IOR as a non-profit research organization with cancer biology focus, grant-funded PI structure, and PhD training programs.
• Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research: Global non-profit cancer research organization conducting basic and translational oncology across multiple branches. Directly comparable to IOR as an academic, grant-funded research enterprise focused on cancer biology and immunotherapy, but with broader geographic footprint and larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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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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