Description

The IRGB was born from the legacy of the Institute of Research on Thalassaemias and Mediterranean Anemias (IRTAM), founded in Cagliari in the late 1970s to address the haematological diseases prevalent in the region.

In 2001, the reorganization of the National Research Council (CNR) led to the establishment of the Institute of Neurogenetics and Neuropharmacology (INN) in Monserrato, integrating expertise in neuropharmacology and molecular genetics.

In 2010, the Institute adopted its current name, IRGB (Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research), expanding its mission to genomics and translational medicine, and establishing a new site in Milan with personnel from the Institute of Biomedical Technologies (ITB).

Between 2013 and 2015, the Institute reached its current structure with the integration of the Institute of Population Genetics (IGP) in Sassari, strengthening its focus on multifactorial diseases, and the establishment of the Lanusei site, active since 2001 within the SardiNIA project and specialized in population genetics.

Today, IRGB is a multi-site and multidisciplinary institute that integrates molecular genetics, genomics, and epidemiology within a systemic approach to the study of human diseases.

As of January 31, 2026, the permanent CNR staff consists of 99 employees, distributed as follows: 10 Research Directors, 22 Senior Researchers, 27 Researchers, 4 Senior Technologists, 9 Technologists, 15 Technical staff (14 technical collaborators and 1 technical operator), and 12 administrative staff (4 Officers, 7 collaborators, and 1 Operator).

The Institute conducts research in the biomedical sciences through an integrated approach that combines genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and translational medicine, aiming to understand the biological mechanisms of diseases and turn this knowledge into diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

• molecular basis of monogenic hereditary diseases and rare disorders;
  
• genetics of polygenic and multifactorial diseases, with particular emphasis on cardiovascular diseases;
  
• genetic and epidemiological studies of the Sardinian population;
  
• thalassemias, hematological disorders, and immunodeficiencies;
  
• molecular oncology, genomic stability, and epigenetics;
  
• regenerative medicine and stem cell-based technologies;
  
• role of sarcomeric proteins in cardiac and muscle diseases;
  
• development of innovative antibiotics;
  
• bioinformatics and computational biology for multi-omics data analysis;
  
• molecular modeling and drug discovery for the rational in silico design of new therapeutic molecules;
  
• precision medicine in oncology for personalized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

A distinctive feature of IRGB is the integrated use of advanced technologies--from whole genome sequencing to gene editing and computational modeling--to address complex scientific questions within a multidisciplinary framework.