About Us
iBET – Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica is a private non-profit institution of public utility dedicated to R&D in Biotechnology.
For over 35 years, we have been creating and transferring knowledge to our global biopharma and biotech partners and to the national pharma and agri-food industry sector.
Guided by our values, we strive to achieve our vision through all aspects of our activities and the achievements they deliver.
Agility
We foster a culture of continuous improvement and embrace change as an opportunity for growth. We excel in flexibility and speed of execution of our research services.
Ambition
We are determined to achieve our goals, inspired by the creation of value for our partners, using persistence, will and restlessness.
Commitment
We are truly focused and feel responsible for our stakeholders (team, partners, and society) offering our best knowledge. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to supporting their growth and career development.
Innovation
We look for novelty in each project and find solutions that add value to the institution and the client. We take the risk to create something new.
Integrity
We act with honesty and ethics. We respect our partners and all stakeholders. We use scientific and technological knowledge to create value for the market and society in general.
Search for Knowledge
We search to know more. We look for the best solutions and sharing the best practices internally and externally.
Agility
We foster a culture of continuous improvement and embrace change as an opportunity for growth. We excel in flexibility and speed of execution of our research services.
Ambition
We are determined to achieve our goals, inspired by the creation of value for our partners, using persistence, will and restlessness.
Commitment
We are truly focused and feel responsible for our stakeholders (team, partners, and society) offering our best knowledge. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to supporting their growth and career development.
Innovation
We look for novelty in each project and find solutions that add value to the institution and the client. We take the risk to create something new.
Integrity
We act with honesty and ethics. We respect our partners and all stakeholders. We use scientific and technological knowledge to create value for the market and society in general.
Search for Knowledge
We search to know more. We look for the best solutions and sharing the best practices internally and externally.
Achievements
R&D projects with competitive funding
R&D Projects with Industry Partners
New Technologies and Methodologies developed and implemented with the support of iBET's Innovation Program - iBETXplore
Peer-reviewed Publications in the last 5 years
Added to our R&D infrastructure with the inauguration of the iBET Biofarma building in 2023
BSL3 Research Lab
Institutional Videos
iBET Biofarma Building Video
iBET expanded its infrastructure with the construction of the iBET Biofarma Building, officially inaugurated in June 2023. To mark the occasion, a dedicated institutional video was premiered during the inauguration ceremony and can be watched here.
Institutional Video - We are iBET
Get to know iBET, who we are and what drives us through our institutional video.
Objectives in pursuit of our mission:
Foster Excellence and Economic Competitiveness
Maintain a leadership role in creating and sustaining excellence in all its teams and collaborations ensuring economic competitiveness.
Support Industry
Provide a Support Infrastructure allowing to lower investment costs for Portuguese and international companies willing to start or reinforce biotechnological research and manufacturing in Portugal.
Stimulate Technology Transfer
Push for faster utilization of new biotechnological tools in industry activities.
Develop highly skilled talent
To train multidisciplinary and creative researchers in applied research targeted to biotechnological development and technology transfer.
Support New Companies
Support the development of start-up/spin-off companies in partnership with iBET Associates.
Team & Structure
With a staff of 270 people, iBET currently hosts 110 PhD holders and over 40 PhD students, distributed across 14 research teams and support units.
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Institutional Information
Annual Activity Report 2024
Explore our R&D outputs and key milestones from 2024, including financial and operational KPIs.
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Functional Organization Chart
View iBET's Functional Organization Chart, highlighting our core areas, to better understand how our teams are organized and interconnected.
Download pdf
Statutes
iBET’s statutes provide a deeper understanding of our organization’s structure and governance. [Portuguese only]
Download pdf
Gender Equality Policy
iBET’s Gender Equality and Inclusion plan specifies measures to promote a gender balance across all functional levels and the non-discrimination of employees by any social, racial, cultural or gender related aspects.
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Associate Members
iBET’s Associate Members have privileged access to our scientific expertise in biotechnology.
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- Establishment of collaboration with GBF (Gesellschaft fur Biotechnologische Forschung), currently known as Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI).
- Pilot Plant Project – German Ministry of S&T grants 2 million marcs for support, training and education.
- Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) Infrastructure initiates activity with German company Hoechst AG.
- Start of activities with the German pharmaceutical company Schering AG (protein structures).
- Inauguration of the Pilot Plant Facility by official entities.
- Animal Cell Technology and Microbiology Labs move to the new building.
- Start of collaboration with Merck in cancer therapy.
- Establishment of Plant Biotechnology Network with SOPORCEL and PORTUCEL FLORESTAL.
- Submission of 7 patents: 4 national, 2 European and 1 international (Patent Corporation Treaty – PCT).
- Encapsulated adenovirus developed at iBET enters veterinary field trials in three African countries.
- Retroviral vectors developed at the Animal Cell Technology Laboratory and Généthon move to gene therapy clinical trials in France.
- Establishment of the CLINIGENE – European Network for the Advancement of Clinical Gene Transfer and Therapy funded by the European Commission. iBET is a partner and member of the board.
- Signature of the collaboration agreement between iBET and Merck, paving the way for the creation of a new satellite laboratory – Merck Satellite Laboratory.
- Creation of GenIbet Biopharmaceuticals, a spin-off dedicated to producing biopharmaceuticals for phase I/II clinical trials.
- Contract signature for the creation of a new satellite laboratory at iBET: Bayer Pharma Laboratory (node of Bayer R&D).
- Start of cancer models project with AstraZeneca, Bayer and Roche under the scope of Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership in health co-funded by the European Union and the pharmaceutical industry.
- Development of in vitro cellular models for neuropharmacology with iBET’s Associate Member Tecnimede.
- Researchers from the Animal Cell Technology Unit reproduce cell models of human livers.
- The Analytical Services Unit (ASU) receives GMP certification by INFARMED (the Portuguese Medicine Authority) and by DGAV (the Portuguese Food and Veterinary Affairs Authority).
- Contract signature for the launch of the third satellite laboratory at iBET: Novartis Pharma Satellite Laboratory.
- Launch of the iNOVA4Health – Advancing Precision Medicine R&D Unit, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and coordinated by iBET.
- Launch of the iBETXplore internal funding program to support innovative ideas by iBET researchers.
- Sanofi Satellite Laboratory contract is signed, marking the start of iBET’s fourth satellite laboratory with international biopharma companies.
- Inauguration of the renovated Late-Stage R&D and Bioproduction Unit (formerly the Pilot Plant Facility), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
- Celebration of iBET’s 30th anniversary.
- iBET launches the initiative Serology4COVID together with partner institutes of the Greater Lisbon Area and Associate Member Medinfar, to develop serologic tests for COVID-19.
- Construction of the new iBET Biofarma building is initiated (co-funded by European and National funds).
- Acquisition of GenIbet Biopharmaceuticals (iBET’s spin-off created in 2006) by Swedish CDMO Recipharm.
- Kick-off of the Associate Laboratory – Life Sciences for a Healthy and Sustainable Future (LS4FUTURE) funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), with partner institutes ITQB NOVA, IGC, NOVA Medical School and IPOLFG (Lisbon Oncology Hospital).
- Inauguration and start of phased occupation of the new iBET Biofarma building, marking an expansion of iBET’s R&D infrastructure by 6700 m².
- Start of the new Translational Immunology Laboratory.
- Launch of iBET’s renovated website to better showcase its science, achievements and people.
- iBET and Hovione (iBET’s Associate Member) launch ViSync Technologies, a jointly owned venture dedicated to addressing unmet technical needs of pharmaceutical companies in cell and gene therapy.
- iBET’s affiliated R&D Units iNOVA4Health and Green-it awarded the Seal of “Excelent“ by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). iBET coordinated iNOVA4Health between 2015-2024.
- Kick-off of the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) project.
