About CIBB

The Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC) is a nonprofit research institute founded in 1990, aiming to foster biomedical research and multidisciplinary graduate teaching at the University of Coimbra. CNC-UC was the first established “Laboratório Associado” in Portugal, and it has steadily increased the scope of scientific competences over the years, with a strong focus on the exploitation of the fundamental mechanisms of aging and brain diseases.

To cope with the main expected societal impact of biomedical research a strong integrative effort was made to link our basic research achievements to the biotechnology and applied research, and to the regional economical and productive tissue. The strong partnership developed between CNC and the Clinical Faculty allows for the translation of basic knowledge into clinical applications, enhanced by partnerships with the pharmaceutical industry.

As a founding partner of Biocant — Biotechnology Innovation Center, and of the Health Cluster Portugal, CNC shows a clear commitment towards promoting technology transfer and the creation of novel biomedical and biotechnology enterprises. In parallel to fundamental and applied research, CNC is committed to the training of a new generation of researchers and clinicians, and to dissemination of scientific information to the community, to broaden the public’s access to science, and to engage students in science studies.

Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) is a research Institution of the Faculty of Medicine – University of Coimbra and relies on excellent clinical and laboratory facilities as well as on a highly skilled and multidisciplinary scientific staff. iCBR is an internationally recognized centre of excellence for research in health sciences. Particular strengths include research in Vision Sciences.

iCBR fosters an environment for research, education and training that promotes a multi-disciplinary approach to health sciences, crossing traditional boundaries between Medicine, Biology and Engineering. Integration between basic and clinical research is essential for the advance of modern health sciences and iCBR commits a major effort to support such integrated research programs.

The Center for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC) is a scientific institution developing research in the field of applied health economics and health systems/services, with a special focus on the Portuguese system, and marked by a transdisciplinary approach.

Its main goals are to boost health economics research, participating in networks and national and international research projects and collaborating, upon conclusion of protocols, with health care institutions or other organizations interested in the development of health economics. The privileged research areas are, currently, health systems, health related quality of life, health satisfaction assessment, the assessment of technologies and training.

The Multidisciplinary Institute on Ageing (MIA-Portugal) is the first institute in Southern Europe focused on the study of ageing biology, whose mission is to understand the genetic, molecular, cellular, environmental, and physiological bases of ageing. Founded in 2020 through a European Teaming for Excellence project, from the Horizon 2020 program (EC), it involves the University of Coimbra, the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of the Center of Portugal (CCDRC), the Pedro Nunes Institute (IPN), the University of Newcastle, and the University Medical Center Groningen. 

MIA-Portugal is an institute open to international interactions and partnerships in the field of ageing biology, contributing to the global mission of producing new knowledge, developing new technologies, and new therapies that reduce or eliminate the burden of disease during ageing. Under the motto “Living Without Disease”, MIA-Portugal's development strategy is based on the interconnection of fundamental biomedical research and research in populational and clinical contexts, leveraging predictive, preventive, participatory, and precision medicine programs for healthy living.
Attracting and retaining highly qualified talent and providing advanced training for young researchers are integral to MIA-Portugal's main mission. The establishment in 2025 of its research activities in a modern biomedical research building, within the sophisticated ecosystem of the Health Campus of the University of Coimbra, will create unique working conditions to produce new knowledge, services, and products for quality of life.