Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics (IMBG) of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) was founded in 1973 by prominent Ukrainian scientists – Academicians of NASU B.E.Paton, S.M.Gershenson, V.P.Zosymovych, P.K.Shkvarnikov and G.Kh.Matsuka (was the first Director, 1973-2003). Ganna Elskaya, Professor, Academician of NASU, Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine was the second Director (2003-2019). Since 2019 the Institute is headed by Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Academician of NASU, Professor Mykhailo Tukalo.
It is one of the leading institutions in life science research in Ukraine of high level research potential and excellent results of investigations, especially in molecular biomedicine area. Currently, IMBG staff includes 318 employees, among them there are 238 researchers (31 DSci, 131 PhD), who work in 14 research departments and 7 laboratories.
The IMBG research activity is concentrated on the modern trends of molecular biology and genetics. The main scientific interests of our scientists are: structural and functional genomics; proteomics and protein engineering; molecular and cellular biotechnology; bioinformatics, computational modeling and design.
The IMBG research is supported on the level of NASU, on national and international levels. We participated actively in several National and State S&T programmes, among them: “Urgent Measures for Liquidation of the Chernobyl Disaster Consequences and Social Protection of Population”, “Protection of Population from the Most Widely Spread Infectious Diseases”, “National Programme for AIDS Prevention”, “Health of the Nation”, “Gene and Analytical Biotechnologies”, “Introduction and Application of Grid Technologies”, “Elaboration and Creation of Sensor Science-Intensive Products”, “Implementation and application of grid-technologies”, “Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials”, “Elaboration of Novel Technologies of Inventing National Medical Preparations for Human Health Protection and Meeting the Requirements of Veterinary Medicine” etc.
During 50 years IMBG achievements of the IMBG scientists were awarded State Prizes of USSR and Ukraine in Science and Technology, Prizes of the Verkhovna Rada for young scientists, Prizes of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for young scientists, Personal Prizes of NAS of Ukraine, Prizes of the President of Ukraine designated for young scientists, and special Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for the essential scientific contribution to gene engineering and therapy, creation and application of new biotechnologies and medicines.
Over 6557 scientific articles were published by the scientists of the Institute, out of which nearly 1555 articles were published in renowned foreign journals including Science, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Cell, Biochemistry, Human Genetics, Human Mutation, Proteins, Nucleic Acid Research, Journal of Biological Chemistry and others. Every year the competition is organized with the prizes for 3 best published scientific articles in 3 areas of research. Since the Institute was founded its employees obtained 300 author's certificates and patents. About 200 conferences, meetings, scientific schools including international ones were hosted.
The Institute is very active in international cooperation. For many years IMBG scientists collaborate successfully with their foreign colleagues from Germany, France, USA, Great Britain, Poland, Italy, Greece, Japan and other - about 34 countries in total. At present, IMBG is involved in FP7 and Horizon 2020 projects: "Micro/nanosensors for early cancer warning system – diagnostic and prognostic information" (FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES-2012), "Elemental metabolomics as a new tool for food safety and health care" (Horizon 2020; ERASMUS+), "Grant facilitating the participation of Black Sea countries in European Brokerage events" (BLACK SEA HORIZON). We have also other international grants including those of CNRS, NATO, STCU, SCOPES, etc. Strong long-time bilateral relations IMBG has with the institutions of CNRS and Polish Academy of Science.
The scientists of IMBG teach in leading higher educational institutions of Ukraine: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, National University of Food Technologies, Bogomolets National Medical University, National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", P. L. Shupik National Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education etc.
IMBG has PhD and Master Degree Programs. In 2016, IMBG obtained the License of the Ministry for Education and Science of Ukraine allowing it to provide 4-year PhD course in Biology for 50 graduate students. Corresponding Department of Biology, dealing with this PhD Programme, was created. In 2021, the Master Degree Program Department on Molecular Biology and Biotechnology was established in IMBG, jointly with the Kyiv Academic University, which becomes part of the Ukrainian Global University initiative https://uglobal.university/. This makes the Institute a kind of a research University and allows it to encourage students, early-stage researchers and young scientists in scientific investigations and to prepare human resource potential for further development of IMBG. In addition, IMBG scientists also work as professors and lecturers at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Bogomolets National Medical University, Faculties of the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, such as Institute of High Technologies, Institute of Biology and Medicine, and others.
The Council of Young Investigators supported by the IMBG Scientific Council conducts the young scientists conferences for international and Ukrainian participants on the modern aspects of molecular biology and genetics.
The Institute publishes: "Biopolymers and Cell", which contains articles in Ukrainian and English, "The Bulletin of Vavylov Society of Geneticists and Breeders of Ukraine" and "Factors in Experimental Evolution of Organisms".
The Institute is a co-founder of a scientific journal "Ukrainica Bioorganica Acta" .
IMBG created the first web portal in Ukraine on bioinformatics, genomics, structural biology, and molecular medicine www.bioua.org.ua.
IMBG website www.imbg.org.ua is active since 2001, contains new scientific information including cross-links, and is visited by more tham 100 persons each day.