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The Institute

It was founded in 2001, following the merger of the Plant Biosynthesis Institute and the Animal Germplasm Conservation and Defence Institute of Milan, and the Soil Microbiology Centre of Pisa.

Subsequently, in July 2026, the Institute expanded through the merger with the Institute of Biological Systems (ISB).

Today, the Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology of the CNR, belonging to the Department of Biology, Agriculture and Food Sciences, is headquartered in Milan and has four other operating research facilities located respectively in Lodi, Pisa, Rome Montelibretti and Rome Sapienza.

The Objectives

The five branches of the Institute carry out diversified but complementary research activities and, inspired by five key concepts, outline as many lines of research that are developed on common objectives:

  • Contribute to the increase of knowledge regarding biological systems at the molecular, cellular and entire organism levels, by studying the interaction of these systems with the environment.
  • Apply the knowledge acquired to the genetic improvement of plant, animal and microorganisms, and to the development of new technologies for the benefit of agriculture, health and the environment.
  • Develop new tools for food authentication, identification of food pathogens, nutritional and functional characterization of agricultural production.

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The research activities


Molecular Biology

The research activities in the area BIOCEL Cellular and structural biology are mainly conducted at the molecular level and aim to understand the integrated circuits of metabolic pathways and subcellular structures that regulate plant life, promoting a new vision of plant cell biology.

Biotechnologies

Research in the area BIOTEC Agrobiotechnologies aims to improve agri-food production through a well considered use of genetic resources and the identification of genes whose products are involved in the development of adaptive responses and in the production of useful metabolites and biomolecules.

Environmental conditions

The studies in the area ECOBIOS Organism–environment and ecosystem biology, carried out with biological and molecular approaches, are dedicated to the characterization of the response of plants to environmental conditions that differ from a climatic, physical, microbiological and nutritional point of view.

Food and Nutrition

The research activities in the area QUALY Food and health deal with the evaluation and improvement of the quality of food products in terms of safety, traceability, nutritional characteristics, as well as the beneficial effect on human and animal health.

Biodiversity

The investigations conducted in the area BIOGEN Genomics and agrobiodiversity, using the study of genomes assisted by robust bioinformatics support, search for genetic and epigenetic determinants that in animals, plants and microorganisms control characters useful for adaptation to the environment, for human health and in support of agronomic activities.

The research locations

Milano Headquarter

Milano Headquarter

It is historically active in the fields of molecular genetics, plant physiology, cell biology and plant biotechnology. Data analysis and bionformatics activities related to the analysis of animal and plant genomes have recently been added.

The Headquarters is equipped with all the necessary equipment for the development and execution of cell biology, biochemistry and molecular genetics studies, including various specialized laboratories. Of particular note is the availability of plant growth facilities to grow plants under controlled conditions, for plant tissue culture and microalgae cultivation (in collaboration with IBF).

The IBBA headquarters in Milan also hosts the FOODCODE platform for food genetic authentication.

Contacts

Lodi Branch

Lodi Branch

The Lodi site, located within the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences at the University of Milan, conducts research in animal science, focusing on livestock production systems. Its activities include the conservation and valorization of animal biodiversity and genetic resources—also through the Animal Germplasm Cryobank—as well as the study of reproductive processes and male fertility.

The site applies advanced genomics, epigenomics, and metagenomics approaches to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying phenotypic traits and adaptation, including DNA methylation, small RNA, transcriptomic, and microbiome analyses. Within a One Health framework, research activities also address the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Contacts

Pisa Branch

Pisa Branch

It is mainly engaged in the study of the nutraceutical characteristics of agri-food products through in vitro and in vivo tests on animal models. Other lines of activity concern the analysis of the intestinal microbiome in relation to diet, the physiology of stress in plants and the study of the dynamics of mycorrhizal-arbuscular populations.

The Pisa Research Unit has several specialized laboratories available: for cell cultures, molecular biology, biochemistry, for microbiological and mutagenicity and genotoxicity analyses.

Contacts

Roma Montelibretti Branch

Roma Montelibretti Branch

This IBBA Research Unit studies model and crop plants to characterize the genetic determinants, and the endogenous and environmental stimuli, that regulate the processes of development, cell differentiation and stress response for genetic improvement in agriculture and for environmental sustainability.

This Research Unit is fully equipped with laboratories for the development and execution of research in molecular biology, plant physiology and “omics” sciences (genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics), and include a laboratory of microscopy, one of micropropagation for in vitro culture under aseptic conditions, and three growth chambers for plant growth under controlled conditions.

Scientific activities also span the fields of agri-food and health sciences, focusing on the valorization and traceability of plant resources, the development of functional foods, and the extraction of naturally occurring bioactive compounds for applications in nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Through the use of plant and microbial biotechnologies, and thanks to advanced analytical platforms such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry (MS), the Institute also addresses challenges related to environmental protection and the chemical-structural characterization of complex matrices.

Research activities focus on agri-food systems, environmental sciences, and sustainability through four main research areas: food quality and traceability, investigated through metabolomic and genomic approaches to enhance biodiversity and monitor transformations along the production chain; the study of plant and microbial agroecosystems, based on the integration of omics, biophysical, and biochemical techniques to understand local biodiversity, optimize crop yield and stress tolerance, as well as investigate plant electrophysiology and phytoacoustics; ecosystem protection, aimed at developing green analytical methods for biomolecule extraction, phyto- and bioremediation of contaminants in soil, water, and plants, and geomicrobiological studies using metagenomics and metabarcoding to explore the role of fungi and bacteria in biogeochemical cycles, with applications in bioremediation and cultural heritage conservation; and the valorization of medicinal plants, supported by a dedicated botanical garden for germplasm preservation, essential oil extraction, and the characterization of their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

The site is equipped with specialized laboratories for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Mass Spectrometry, Applied Mycology, Microbiology, and Plant Physiology and Genetics.

Contacts

Roma Sapienza Branch

Roma Sapienza Branch

Roma-Meccanismi di Reazione (c/o Sapienza Università di Roma)
The Rome branch is located within the Department of Chemistry of Sapienza University of Rome. Its name reflects its historical connection with the Research Center for Reaction Mechanisms, highlighting a continuity that is not only logistical but also scientific, rooted in the tradition of organic chemistry, particularly physical organic and mechanistic chemistry.
Research activities focus on the synthesis of amphiphilic and polymeric molecules, as well as the preparation and characterization of nanosystems for the delivery of bioactive compounds, including those of natural origin. The nanosystems under investigation include liposomes, micelles, polymeric micelles, polymeric and polymer-metal hybrid nanoparticles, core-shell nanostructures, supramolecular aggregates, and supramolecular polymers.
Research also encompasses the study of interactions between biomolecules and membrane models, the mechanisms of chirality transfer from molecules to complex systems, and the development of dynamic systems whose properties can be modulated over time through transient chemical stimuli.

Contacts

The Governance


The Director

He is the contact person for the experimental and administrative activities of the Institute of which he is the representative both within the CNR and externally in the contacts with Institutions, Universities, Local Bodies, Companies.

He is responsible for the results of the activity carried out by the Institute, for consistency with the mission and with the planning programmes for the research, for the adequacy and proper functioning of the instrumental equipment. He adopts the necessary acts of competence of the Institute in compliance with the regulations of the institution.

From 1 January 2025 the IBBA Director is Dr. Alessandra Stella.

The Institute Council

The representative body of the internal scientific community, collaborates and assists the Director in formulating proposals for the improvement of the performance of experimental activities, with a view to improving the quality of research and the development of new skills. It expresses a periodic opinion on the progress of the activities and their relevance to the mission of the Institute, also through the preparation of the management plan and the performance annual report.

At the moment the members of the Institute Council are: Ariano Enrico, Baldoni Elena, Ceccacci Francesca, Cominelli Eleonora, Cremonesi Paola, De Filippo Carlotta, Iannelli Maria Adelaide, Morello Laura Emma Maria, Tardiola Stefano.

 

The Institute Conference

Called once a year by the Director, analyzes the results achieved together with all the staff, verifying compliance with the expected objectives, identifying critical issues and indicating possible solutions.
Istituto

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