The Biotechnology Institute (IBt), formerly the Center for Research on Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIIGB), was created in April 1982 and began its operation, within the facilities of the Biomedical Research Institute.

In 1985, it moved to its current facilities in the City of Cuernavaca, on a land of 25,000 square meters (8,500 laboratories and support units) loaned by the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos to UNAM.

The Research Center on Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIIGB) was transformed into the Institute of Biotechnology (IBt) of UNAM, by agreement of the University Council, on September 14, 1991. This transformation was the result of maturation and consolidation from your academic community.

The CIIGB started its activities with nine researchers. By the end of 1990, it had 38 researchers integrating 14 work groups; These researchers were supported by 35 academic technicians. The Institute of Biotechnology has today 93 researchers (51 holders and 42 associates), 70 academic technicians and more than 180 students, 160 of them graduate students, and of these 96 are doctoral students. 94% of our researchers belong to the National System of Researchers. More than 120 people make up the administrative staff.

The Institute, in this period of ten years, has managed not only to consolidate but to grow in a very important way; in more than 240% in its research facility (from 38 to 93), in the research groups (from 14 to 32) and in the students it prepares (from 80 to 180). This growth has been matched to that of the facilities, which went from 4,500 to 8,500 m2 and that of their equipment of common use with a value exceeding 10 million dollars; Added to this, each research group has equipment obtained through donations given to the group, which is equated with the first.

It is important to highlight that the Institute's effort in the field of research is mainly focused on the study, characterization, function, overproduction, handling and use of proteins and nucleic acids, and for this purpose it works in different disciplines with different biological models. We consider that even though the IBt is a young university unit, there have been contributions in basic research as well as in applied research and technological development, as well as in the training of human resources.

Since 1982, nearly 1,600 publications have been generated, of which 1,012 have appeared in journals, most of them (93%) of international circulation, and of these 459 have been published in the last five years. Likewise, more than 200 agreements and contracts for research and technological development have been signed, of which 22 contracts are in force. In the area of teaching and training of human resources, more than 590 theses have been directed since 1982 (337 for postgraduate studies, 151 for the period 1996-2000) and 160 are currently undergraduate studies.

Finally, it is relevant to point out that during 1994 the Institute's Internal Council proposed to the Technical Council of Scientific Research (CTIC) an academic restructuring of the Institute, resulting in the formation of 5 departments: Bioengineering, Molecular Biology of Plants, Genetics and Molecular Physiology , Molecular Microbiology, and Molecular Recognition and Biostructure. The reason for this proposal was the reorganization of the Institute's academic effort in more specific areas, better defined, and academic frontier. Likewise, it was also considered relevant that the disciplines and methodologies of biochemistry and molecular biology are already consolidated and are used in all departments of the Institute.