About

SHORT HISTORY

The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) was founded on May 1983 and was one of the -initially three- institutes of the Research Center of Crete (RCC). Since 1987, IMBB is one of the seven institutes of the only regional research foundation of Greece (FORTH). The first director of the IMBB was Prof. Fotis Kafatos. In 1993, Prof. Kafatos was elected as the General Director of the EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany) and stepped down from the Direction of the Institute which position was taken over by Prof. George Thireos, who was elected formally as the Director of IMBB on January 1994.

SCIENTIFIC AIMS

The activities of the IMBB are directed towards high quality basic and applied research in attentively chosen fields of modern Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. The ultimate goal of these activities is the improvement of life quality through interventions in medicine, agriculture, industry and the environment. Areas of research include the elucidation of basic biological mechanisms and functions, ultimately related to human health, genome research, biological control of biological pests, enzyme structure and the development of high technology tools and products. These activities are successful through (1) the establishment of national and international competitive research networks and (2) collaborations with the industry.

RESEARCH GROUPS

Mammalian Molecular Genetics

Human genome mapping, developmental immunology and neurobiology, gene expression (MHC II genes, liver specific genes), disease genes (tumour suppressor, anaemias, Alzheimer's).

Insect Molecular Genetics

Drosophila genome mapping and sequencing, development and function of the nervous system, biological control of insect pests: development of transformation system in Med fly and molecular biology of mosquitoes.

Molecular Biology of Unicellular Organisms

Yeast genome sequencing, systematic functional analysis of yeast genes, transcriptional control, stress responses, protein secretion mechanisms in bacteria, development of environmental biosensors.

Plant Molecular Biology

Plant-pathogen interaction, pest control, molecular plant virology, viroids, gene suppression by ribozyme technology, disease-resistant plants.

Macromolecular Structures

Structure and function analysis of various families of proteins via X-ray crystallographic methods. The proteins studied include: electron transport systems, chitinases, endonucleases, DNA-methyltransferases. Engineering and design of selected structural classes of proteins (4-alpha-helical bundles, alpha/beta barrels).

Enzyme technology

Bioconversion of chitin to chitosan, psychrophilic enzymes, DNA modification enzymes, separation technologies, downstream processing

Applied Biochemistry and Immunology

Human cellular and molecular immunology, peptide and antibody engineering, development of antibody and DNA-based diagnostic tools.

PRODUCTS

Development and marketing of DNA restriction and modification enzymes, under the trademark MINOTECH.
Marketing of DNA oligonucleotides produced in the Microchemistry laboratory.
Development and marketing of enzyme immunoassay kits for the measurement of steroid hormones and receptors.

These products are supplied in the national and international markets.

FACILITIES

Animal Cell Cultures

Equipped with laminar flow hoods, CO2 incubators, microscopes and centrifuges.

Microchemistry laboratory

Equipped with two DNA/RNA synthesizers, one protein sequenator, one DNA sequencer, one amino acid analyzer, PCR machines.

Fermentation facility

Equipped with fermenters (total capacity 55 lit), environmental shaking incubators, cell separators, complete chromatography systems, sonicator, french pressure cell.

Transgenic animal facility

Equipped with microscopes, CO2 incubator stereoscopes, microinjection systems.

Insectarium - Transgenic insects

Equipped with injection system, controlled temperature chambers, microscopes, stereoscopes.

Biocomputing facility (Greek National EMBnet node)

Equipped with: ALPHA Workstations and Servers, DEC Workstation and Servers, INDY, INDIGO 2 R10000, Microvax 3300, WSV Workstastion, PS390 Worskstation, SPARKStation IPX,.

Services: www/news/FTP/mail servers, biology databases and software.

Animal house

Area of 260m2 capable of housing 5.000 mice and 50 rabbits.

Greenhouse

Area of 200m2 shared with the Department of Biology, University of Crete.

Supporting facilities:

1. Photographic laboratory

2. Electronic workshop

3. Stockroom

PERSONNEL

RESEARCH GRANTS

EU grants	45
Other international grants	4
National grants	26

MAJOR SCIENTIFIC NETWORKS

• Yeast Genome Project (BAP, BRIDGE, BIOTECH programmes).
• Drosophila genome mapping (SCIENCE, HCM programmes).
• European Molecular Biology Networks (EMBnet): Greek node for EMBL DNA databases.
• EUROGEM Network of Laboratories: Human genome mapping.
• Plant Molecular Genetics European Network.
• Drosophila genome sequencing (BIOTECH programme).
• EUROFAN Network: Functional analysis of yeast genes.
• Research Network for host parasite interactions (MacArthur Foundation, Chicago USA).

COLLABORATION WITH COMPANIES

Major ones include: Boehringer Mannheim (Germany), Pharmacia (U.S.A.), Quantum Biotechnologies (U.S.A.), Renner GmbH (Germany), Ciba-Geigy (Switzerland), Enviro Europa S.A. (Greece), Melotech S.A. (Spain).

PATENTS

• "Eukaryotic Transposable Element", U.S. Patent No. 5,348,874.
• "Purified Chitin Deacetylase" U.S. Patent No 07/773,724 (licensed).
• "Simple and rapid amplification and detection of nucleic acids". US Patent serial No 5.569.582.
• "Asymmetric hammerhead ribozymes and nucleotide sequences for their construction".
  PCT application PCT/EP93/02853 (pending).
• "DNA encoding chitin deacetylase". US patent appl. No. 07/989,991.

FUNDS (in ECUs)

Competitive EU Grants (+matching funds)	1.985.730
Other international grants	217.775
National grants	682.750
Sales of products	151.494
Government Funds	954.500

LOCATION