Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante

What Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante does

The Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante is a public research institute jointly operated by CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain's national research council) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), headquartered at the Campus de San Juan in Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain. Founded in 1999 (with company-formation records dated 2004), the institute employs 252 staff and is organized into three research departments (Developmental Neurobiology, Molecular Neurobiology and Neuropathology, and Cellular and Systems Neurobiology) that run eight specialized research programs spanning neural stem cell regulation, brain plasticity and repair, neural circuit construction, synaptic modulation, genetic and epigenetic bases of individuality and aging, pain neurobiology, human cognition, and translational research of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Its core technology is a shared scientific-technical services platform comprising twelve capabilities — advanced microscopy, magnetic resonance and molecular imaging, cell cultures and sterilization, neurotropic vectors, vertebrate and invertebrate animal models, genotyping, animal research, omics and gene analysis, bioinformatics and systems administration, shared scientific equipment rooms, and an electronic workshop (SHARE) — that serve both internal research groups and external users. The institute also operates a Master's and a Doctoral program in Neuroscience through UMH, participates in the NeurotechEU European university alliance, and runs a dedicated innovation and knowledge-transfer unit, IN.Pulse (UCIE), alongside outreach channels such as Brain Week, the Christmas Meeting, and the 'Neuroscience without Barriers' program.

As a non-profit public entity, the institute does not sell products commercially; its revenue mechanics are built on four funding pillars: institutional budgets from CSIC and UMH, competitive national grants from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), competitive European funding from the European Research Council and the European Commission (Horizon Europe and related programs), and earmarked grants from non-governmental funders such as the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC). Income from Master's and Doctoral tuition flows through UMH, and the IN.Pulse unit provides a structured pathway for translating research outputs into industrial and clinical applications.

Name

Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante

Legal name

Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante

Website

https://in.umh.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante is a joint CSIC-UMH public research institute in Alicante, Spain, conducting fundamental and translational neuroscience across eight research programs, a twelve-service scientific-technical platform, and Master's and doctoral training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neuroscience Research Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Bioinformatics, Multi-Omics Data Analysis & Interpretation Services (HLAGANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transcriptomics & Gene Expression Profiling Services (HLAGANAE), Neurogenetics & Rare Neurologic Diseases (HLAKAIAO), Health & Biomedical Research Universities (Academic Medical Center–Affiliated) (EDAHABAC)

Keywords

• Neuroscience research
• Scientific-technical services
• Biomedical research
• Translational neuroscience
• Graduate neuroscience education

Headquarters

HQ city

Sant Joan d'Alacant

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante is a public research center jointly operated by CSIC and Universidad Miguel Hernández that conducts fundamental and translational neuroscience research across eight integrated programs covering neuronal plasticity, brain circuit assembly, molecular and cellular neurobiology, cognitive and systems neuroscience, translational brain disorders, neurogenesis, cell-to-cell communication, and behavioral neuroscience. It delivers twelve scientific-technical services (advanced microscopy, MRI, cell culture, viral vectors, animal models, genotyping, omics, bioinformatics, SHARE electronics), runs a Master's and Doctoral program in Neuroscience through UMH, and channels knowledge transfer via the IN.Pulse (UCIE) innovation unit.

Product overview

Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante is a joint research institute of CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) and UMH (Universidad Miguel Hernández) that offers scientific-technical services rather than commercial products. The institute provides eight research programs focused on neuroscience, including translational research of neurological and psychiatric disorders, human cognition, pain neurobiology, genetic/epigenetic basis of individuality and aging, synaptic modulation, neural circuit construction, and neural stem cell differentiation. Its scientific-technical services include advanced microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, cell cultures, neurotropic vectors, vertebrate and invertebrate models, genotyping, animal research, omics and gene analysis, bioinformatics, and electronic workshop services. The institute also offers educational programs including a Master's in Neuroscience and a Doctoral program in Neuroscience, as well as innovation and technology transfer services through IN.Pulse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IN.Pulse (UCIE): Unit for Innovation and Business Relations (Unidad de Comercialización de la Investigación y la Empresa) at the Institute.

Products and services

• Advanced Optical Microscopy Service (Microscopía Óptica Avanzada) Provision of advanced optical microscopy imaging for internal and external neuroscience researchers needing high-resolution cellular and subcellular imaging.
• Magnetic Resonance and Molecular Imaging Service (Resonancia Magnética e Imagen Molecular) Magnetic resonance and molecular imaging capabilities for in vivo and ex vivo neuroscience studies accessible to external research groups.
• Cell Cultures and Sterilization Service (Cultivos Celulares y Esterilización) Cell culture and sterilization services supporting in vitro neuroscience experiments for internal and external researchers.
• Neurotropic Vectors Service (Vectores Neurotrópicos) Design and production of neurotropic viral vectors for gene delivery and circuit mapping experiments in neuroscience research.
• Vertebrate Models Service (Modelos Vertebrados) Provision of vertebrate animal models (e.g., mouse, zebrafish) for in vivo neuroscience studies, available to external research users.
• Invertebrate Models Service (Modelos Invertebrados) Provision of invertebrate animal models (e.g., Drosophila, C. elegans) for neuroscience and behavioral genetics research.
• Genotyping Service (Genotipado) Genotyping services for the characterization and quality control of animal models used in neuroscience research.
• Animal Research Service (Animalario) Animal research facility providing husbandry and experimental support for vertebrate models used across institute research programs.
• Omics and Genetic Analysis Service (Ómicas y Análisis Genético) Genomics, transcriptomics, and other omics technologies applied to neuroscience research projects for internal and external users.
• Systems Administration and Bioinformatics Service (Administración de Sistemas y Bioinformática) Bioinformatics analysis and computational systems support for neuroscience data processing pipelines and storage infrastructure.
• SHARE Electronic Workshop (Taller Electrónico SHARE) In-house electronic design and fabrication workshop for custom hardware used in neuroscience experimental setups.
• Master's in Neuroscience (Máster en Neurociencia) Graduate Master's program in Neuroscience delivered in collaboration with Universidad Miguel Hernández for prospective students pursuing advanced neuroscience training.
• Doctoral Program in Neuroscience (Doctorado en Neurociencia) PhD program in Neuroscience delivered in collaboration with Universidad Miguel Hernández for doctoral candidates undertaking neuroscience research training.
• IN.Pulse Knowledge Transfer Unit (UCIE) Dedicated unit for knowledge transfer, innovation, and collaboration with industry and other external partners on neuroscience research outputs.

Quantifiable outcome

• International research collaborations producing high-impact publications in Alzheimer's disease, neuroimaging, and other neuroscience fields

Segments4 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2026Spanish national organization for the blind featuring researcher Ángela Nieto on their 'Women in Science' lottery coupon series in July 2026. Partnership raises visibility of female neuroscientists.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with EPFL in Switzerland on neuroscience research, particularly the PM20D1-OLE pathway study demonstrating microglia rewiring for Alzheimer's disease treatment. The study represents joint research leadership between IN CSIC-UMH and EPFL scientists.
• NeurotechEUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean university alliance focused on neuroscience education and training. The institute participates in NeurotechEU as part of its training and internationalization mission, enabling student and researcher exchange across European institutions.
• CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe institute is a joint CSIC-UMH entity, with CSIC being Spain's largest public research organization. This institutional partnership provides access to CSIC's national research infrastructure and resources.
• Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe institute is a joint CSIC-UMH entity located on UMH's Campus de San Juan. This partnership provides academic affiliation, student enrollment through UMH programs, and university research infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Independent non-profit biological research institute with extensive graduate program, broad biomedical agenda, and significant grant funding base — structurally comparable Severo-Ochoa/Tier-1 equivalent in the US.
• Institut Pasteur: Major French non-profit biomedical research institute combining fundamental research, doctoral training, and technology-transfer functions including spin-offs. Comparable institutional structure combining research excellence with innovation arm.
• Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology / Multidisciplinary Sciences: Flagship German neuroscience research institute with similar fundamental-to-translational scope, advanced imaging/omics platforms, and competitive ERC/Horizon funding profile — a comparable European peer of similar standing.
• Karolinska Institutet (Neuroscience Department): Large European biomedical research university with a major neuroscience department and broad translational pipeline; comparable scale of research output, doctoral training, and EU-grant capture, with broader medical-school scope.

Direct peers

• Janelia Research Campus (HHMI): HHMI's dedicated neuroscience research campus with advanced imaging, genetic, and computational tool development. Comparable in operating a service-rich scientific-technical platform supporting fundamental brain research.
• Allen Institute for Brain Science: Non-profit neuroscience research organization focused on brain mapping, transcriptomics, and large-scale data resources — directly comparable mission of producing shared neuroscience infrastructure and datasets for the global community.
• MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology: UK Research Council-funded molecular biology institute with strong publication record, scientific-technical service platform, and translational commercialization track record — comparable publicly-funded life-sciences research operation.
• Instituto Cajal (CSIC): The other major CSIC-affiliated neuroscience research institute in Spain, also focused on fundamental and translational neuroscience with shared CSIC governance, scientific-technical services platform, and doctoral training — directly comparable institutional peer.
• Champalimaud Foundation (Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme): Lisbon/Iberian Peninsula-based private research foundation combining neuroscience and cancer with systems/cognitive neuroscience focus — comparable Iberian scale, translational ambitions, and doctoral training.

Regional players

• RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS): Japan's premier government-funded neuroscience research center with programs spanning molecules to cognition and extensive international collaborations. Comparable in scale and translational scope but operating in the Asia-Pacific research ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NeuroAlc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@institutoneurocienciasumhcsic1
• Facebookfacebook.com/InstitutodeNeurocienciasCsicUMH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/instituto-de-neurociencias-de-alicante
• Instagraminstagram.com/instituto_neurociencias

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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