Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing(CIBR)

What Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing(CIBR) does

CIBR (Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing) is a private, non-profit research institute founded in March 2018 and located at two adjacent campuses in Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Changping District, Beijing. It conducts fundamental brain research, brain-disorder studies, and brain-inspired intelligence technology development, and operates as an integrated research platform combining basic neuroscience, translational clinical work, and applied technology development. Its core deliverable is scientific output (publications, trained researchers, patents) rather than commercial products.

The institute's technology backbone comprises 11 specialised core facilities — Optical Imaging, Genomics, Vector Engineering, Instrumentation, Computing and Data Science (HPC), Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Behavior Analysis, Genetic Manipulation, Biological Mass Spectrometry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Nanofabrication — supported by an HPC cluster delivering nearly 400 trillion calculations per second, 3.1PB of storage, and 40GB/s throughput, plus 1,400 m² of barrier-environment animal facilities and 200 m² of BSL-2 virology labs. Research groups, led by 30+ Principal Investigators and Distinguished Investigators recruited globally, pursue projects spanning brain-computer interfaces (including the Mandarin-optimised 'Beinao No. 1' BCI advanced to GCP clinical trials in April 2026), neuromorphic computing and memristor-based AI chips, brain-organoid and gene-editing platforms, sleep and cognitive neuroscience, and medicinal chemistry (with 19+ granted US patents covering SARD/SARM compounds).

CIBR does not sell commercial products or services. Its operating model is funded primarily through Chinese government grants — most notably the national 'Science and Technology Innovation 2030 — Brain Science and Brain-inspired Intelligence' Key Project — supplemented by academic partnerships and translational collaborations (e.g., with Xuanwu Hospital and NEUCYBER). Distribution of research output occurs via peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals, academic conferences including the CIBR BBC series, and open-data initiatives such as the metabolomics database at metabolismocean.org/braincell.

Name

Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing(CIBR)

Legal name

Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing

Website

https://en.cibr.ac.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing (CIBR) is a non-profit research institute founded in 2018 that conducts fundamental brain research, brain-disorder studies, and brain-inspired intelligence technology development, serving the global neuroscience community through 11 core facilities, 30+ principal investigators, and government-funded translational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Research Grants: As a research institute, CIBR operates primarily through government funding and national research grants, including the 'Science and Technology Innovation 2030—Brain Science and Brain-inspired Intelligence' Key Project.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CIBR is a non-profit research institute that conducts fundamental brain research, brain disorder studies, brain-inspired intelligence technology development, and operates shared technical facilities and biological/medical resource databases. It delivers collaborative research, graduate and postdoctoral training, 11 core technology facilities, and translational science programs advancing brain-computer interfaces, neuromorphic computing, and CNS drug discovery.

Product overview

The Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing (CIBR) is a research institute focused on understanding fundamental brain principles, solving major cognitive disorders, and developing brain-like intelligence technology. CIBR operates as a platform of interconnected research facilities rather than a single product. The core infrastructure includes 11 specialized facilities: Optical Imaging Facility, Genomics Center, Vector Core, Instrumentation Core, Computing and Data Science Core, Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Behavior Analysis Center, Genetic Manipulation Core, Biological Mass Spectrometry Center, Medicinal Chemistry Center, and Nanofabrication Center. These facilities support research across 39+ principal investigators and their labs working on topics including brain-computer interfaces, neural circuit mapping, cognitive neuroscience, drug discovery, and brain-inspired computing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optical Imaging Facility Provides optical imaging services including confocal laser scanning microscopy, two-photon excitation microscopy, light sheet microscopy, and high-throughput cellular screening systems for neuroscience research.
• Genomics Center Integrated platform providing experimental and bioinformatics data analysis services including single cell sequencing technologies, conceptual design, sample preparation, and sequencing library construction for brain science research.
• Vector Core Provides viral vector engineering services including production of rAAV vectors, lentivirus, retrovirus, rabies virus, and herpesvirus tracking systems for neural circuit mapping and gene delivery.
• Instrumentation Core Design and fabrication of novel electronic, optical, and mechanical devices for cutting-edge neuroscience research, including circuit soldering, software development, 3D printing, micro assembly, and optical testing capabilities.
• Computing and Data Science Core High-performance computing platform supporting brain-computer interface research, brain atlas construction, cognitive impairment analysis, brain-like computing, and AI algorithm development with GPU+CPU heterogeneous systems capable of nearly 400 trillion calculations per second.
• Laboratory Animal Resource Center Laboratory animal breeding, rederivation, sperm and embryo cryopreservation, quality testing, and animal model development services supporting neuroscience research with barrier environment facilities.
• Behavior Analysis Center AI-powered behavioral monitoring, recording, and analysis platform providing automated and standardized behavioral phenotyping for neurological disease detection, drug screening, and neural circuit mechanism studies.
• Genetic Manipulation Core Generation of gene-edited model animals including transgenic, knockout, and knockin mutants in mice, rats and other model animals for neuroscience investigation.
• Biological Mass Spectrometry Center Mass spectrometry, chromatography, and analytical chemistry technical services for research groups and core facilities at CIBR.
• Medicinal Chemistry Center Medicinal chemistry and early clinical drug discovery services including structure-activity relationships, CNS drug design, preclinical development, and Phase I clinical studies planning for brain disease therapeutics.
• Nanofabrication Center Micro-nano processing technology support jointly established with NEUCYBER, serving as incubator for nanotechnological innovation and foundation for neuroscience and brain-computer interface research.
• Beinao No. 1 Brain-Computer Interface Brain-computer interface technology developed by CIBR that advanced to GCP clinical trials, representing a major milestone in neural interface medical applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• TIGER gene editing platform achieves ~75% deletion and ~50% insertion mutations producing ≥30% in-frame products, with 38% and 65% achieving wild-type correction respectively
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIBR collaborates with Xuanwu Hospital for clinical research and translational neuroscience. Guoguang Zhao serves as President of Xuanwu Hospital and Director of National Center for Neurological Disorders. The collaboration facilitates bench-to-bedside translation of brain research findings.
• Harvard Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTatsuo Okubo conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School's Department of Neurobiology under Dr. Rachel Wilson. This connection facilitates international collaboration in neuroscience methodology development.
• Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJing Cai was an Instructor at Harvard Medical School/Mass General Hospital before joining CIBR, maintaining collaborative relationships for speech BCI and language research.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWei Shi conducted research as Research Scholar in the Immunology Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on nervous system and cancer interactions.
• IMBA - Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChong Li conducted postdoctoral research at IMBA under Jürgen Knoblich's group, specializing in brain organoid technology and single-cell functional genomics.
• Peking University First Hospital, Department of DermatologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiao Jing's Laboratory collaborated with Jiahui Zhao's team from Peking University First Hospital on atopic dermatitis research (TRPV3, PAR2, IL-33 signaling study).
• NEUCYBERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNanofabrication Center is jointly established by NEUCYBER and CIBR, providing micro-nano processing technology support for neuroscience and brain-computer interface research.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Janelia Research Campus (HHMI): Howard Hughes Medical Institute's research campus focused on neuroscience and imaging tool development. Comparable as a non-profit research institute with strong core facility infrastructure, custom instrumentation, and a project-based scientific model.
• McGovern Institute for Brain Research (MIT): MIT-based brain research institute with affiliated principal investigators spanning circuits, cognition, and brain disorders. Comparable in mission (fundamental brain research, disorders, brain-inspired intelligence) and in coupling to a major university clinical and engineering ecosystem.
• Max Planck Institute for Brain Research: German Max Planck Society institute studying neural circuits, systems neuroscience, and brain disorders. Comparable as a government-funded, director-led non-profit with dedicated research groups and imaging/sequencing core capabilities.
• Francis Crick Institute: Large UK biomedical research institute with shared core facilities and cross-disciplinary research groups. Comparable in scale, governance model, and integrated core facilities serving multiple principal investigators.
• RIKEN Center for Brain Science: Japan's national brain science research center under RIKEN, with both basic and clinical neuroscience. Comparable as a nationally funded brain research institute in Asia with translational ambitions and advanced technology platforms.
• Allen Institute for Brain Science: Non-profit U.S. research organization conducting large-scale brain research with shared core facilities and project-driven science. Highly comparable mission of mapping brain function and disorders, with a similar structure of dedicated principal investigators and technology platforms.
• Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ION CAS): China's flagship Academy of Sciences neuroscience institute in Shanghai, with similar mandates to advance brain science at a national level. Most direct domestic peer for funding, talent, and publication competition.
• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Independent non-profit research institute with shared facilities and resident faculty covering neuroscience and other life sciences. Comparable governance and infrastructure model for a multi-PI research campus.
• Kavli Institute for Brain Science (Columbia): University-affiliated brain research institute focused on circuits and behavior. Comparable in mission around brain-inspired intelligence and bench-to-bedside translation, though smaller and university-hosted.

Regional players

• Tsinghua University School of Medicine / IDG/McGovern Institute at Tsinghua: Beijing-based leading university brain research program with strong faculty and clinical partnerships. Closest academic competitor in the same city for talent and national grant funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chinese-institute-for-brain-research-beijing-cibr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing(CIBR)