CIC bioGUNE is a nonprofit biomedical research organization located in the Basque Country that is dedicated to advancing biomedical research and technological innovation. It has 22 faculty investigators and over 85 postdocs and technicians working on projects related to areas like cancer, immunology, and structural biology. CIC bioGUNE invests over 35 million euros in research infrastructure and commits over 5.5 million euros to research annually. It also receives over 5 million euros in external funding from competitive grants and foundations each year to support its research activities and growth.

1. innovative approaches to research and
CIC bioGUNE Prof José M Mato
General Director
technological innovation. Following this
concept, the Center has set up three joint
research laboratories with companies
established in the Basque Country. “THE WORLD LOOKS SO DIFFERENT AFTER LEARNING SCIENCE”
PLAYS A STRONG ROLE External funding represents a critical
component of CIC bioGUNE’s strategic plan.
Since 2006, CIC bioGUNE has received
Richard Feynman
IN ADVANCING CIC bioGUNE invested over 35 million €
in state-of-the-art research infrastructures,
including genomics, gene silencing,
proteomics, metabolomics, NMR, electron
4.1 million € from competitive research grants
(mainly from the European Union, NIH, the
Spanish Plan Nacional I+D+I, FIS, CIBER and
CONSOLIDER programs) and 1 million € from
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CIC bioGUNE research strategy resides in
the firm belief that if talented researchers
are given the freedom and necessary
means they will contribute to the solution
microscopy, x-ray diffraction, computer and
animal facilities, to support the research
activities of its faculty and students.
The Center commits every year more than
foundations (primarily from the BBVA
Foundation and Genome Spain) and research
contracts. Concerted efforts of the
administration of CIC bioGUNE have helped
AND TECHNOLOGICAL of the fundamental biological questions. 5.5 million € for research and dedicates 450
thousand € to PhD training. It employs 22
faculty investigators, more than 85 postdocs,
technicians and engineers, and provides
the faculty to succeed in the competition for
external funding. Extramural funding,
combined with the generous support of the
Basque Government and the Regional
INNOVATION IN training opportunities to more than 23 PhD
students each year. Our 22 faculty investigators,
recruited internationally, include 15 fellows
from Ikerbasque, Bizkaia:xede, and Ramón y
Government of Bizkaia, allowed faculty
research projects to grow and prosper.
In fact, in 2008 CIC bioGUNE’s investigators
authored 51 scientific publications, in journals
THE BASQUE COUNTRY
Cajal programs. with an average impact factor of 7, and
applied for 3 international patents.
CIC bioGUNE research strategy is based on
the firm belief that if talented researchers are CIC bioGUNE collaborates with the University
given the freedom and necessary means of the Basque Country in the Master of
they will contribute to the solution of the Molecular Biology and Biomedicine
The conviction that fundamental We live in a time of discovery. Every year, new research and technological innovation can fundamental biological questions. Following programme, reflecting our commitment to
biomedical research and technological discoveries bring us closer to answering of be brought together drives our work at this policy, scientists at CIC bioGUNE have inspire and educate a new generation of
innovation can be brought together drives the crucial questions about life; improved the Center for Cooperative Research in established research projects in a variety of scientists. The Center also combines the
our work at the Center for Cooperative understanding and treatment of disease have Biosciences, CIC bioGUNE. areas, including cell growth and organization of research seminars, workshops,
Research in Biosciences, CIC bioGUNE. never been so tantalizingly close. At the same differentiation, cancer, the innate immune and congresses directed to specialists with
time, science and technology have become CIC bioGUNE, a non-profit biomedical research response, liver disease, chromatin series of lectures designed for the general
global and it is undeniable that scientific organization founded in 2002 by the Department remodeling, intracellular trafficking processes, public. CIC bioGUNE, in collaboration with
knowledge plays a fundamental role in the of Industry of the Basque Government, opened and the structure of proteins, ribosomes and the other CIC, publishes CIC Network, a
generation of wealth. However, not all its research installations at the Technology viruses. The projects are summarized in this journal dedicated to promote a culture of
countries know how to obtain the best Park of Bizkaia in January 2005. Since then, annual report. We also firmly believe in research and technological innovation in the
socioeconomic benefit from this common CIC bioGUNE has played a strong role in the necessity of creating a lively intellectual Basque Country.
knowledge (the so-called European paradox). advancing biomedical research and environment in collaboration with biotech
The conviction that fundamental biomedical technological innovation in the Basque Country. companies that fosters creative and