Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology

The Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) is an autonomous, non-profit academic and research institution located on the Electronic City campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It was established in 2001 by the Department of IT, BT and ST of the Government of Karnataka, on the recommendation of the Vision Group on Biotechnology, an advisory body to the Chief Minister of Karnataka. IBAB began functioning in 2001 and admitted its first batch of students in February 2002. It describes itself as an endeavour at the interface of biology and informatics, and organises its activities around three pillars: education, research and entrepreneurship. IBAB offers postgraduate education in bioinformatics, biotechnology and big data biology. Its academic portfolio includes a PhD programme, an MSc programme and a postgraduate diploma programme. The institute has built a series of joint academia-industry PhD programmes with partners such as TCS Foundation, Merck KGaA-Syngene, ThinkMolecular and Happiest Minds/Skan Foundation, and it launched an MSc in Big Data Biology recognised by Bangalore University in 2023. Its research spans synthetic biology, genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics, disease biology and molecular parasitology, structural biology and drug discovery, and policy research. The institute also promotes entrepreneurship, engaging audiences to explore opportunities for scientific discovery and helping start-ups grow. IBAB is governed by a Governing Board that blends academia, government and industry, including representatives from the Government of Karnataka, the International Institute of Information Technology Bengaluru, the Indian Institute of Management Bengaluru, the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, the National Centre for Biological Sciences and Biocon. Prof. D. Sundar is the director of the institute. The institute is supported by government grants and philanthropic endowments, including the Mazumdar-Shaw Chair in Computational Biology endowed by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. In 2025 IBAB marked its Silver Jubilee with Foundation Day celebrations on 7 January, and it launched an "AI in Life Sciences" certificate programme with Syngene International and Biocon Academy.

The Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) was established as a non-profit Society in 2001 by the Department of IT, BT and ST of the Government of Karnataka. It was set up on the recommendation of the Vision Group on Biotechnology, an advisory body to the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The institute began functioning in 2001 and admitted its first batch of students in February 2002. From the outset it was conceived as an autonomous institute governed by representatives from academia, industry and government and advised by eminent scientists of the country. IBAB's early development centred on building an interdisciplinary academic base in bioinformatics and biotechnology. Over the years it added research programmes and industry linkages. In 2015 the institute launched a B-Life initiative, and in 2016 it initiated Phase 2 of its Bio-IT Centre and launched Phase 1 of the B4 programme with the Mittal Institute, Harvard University, supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Government of Karnataka. In 2017 IBAB launched a Synthetic Biology programme. In 2018 the B4 programme entered Phase 2 with the Mittal Institute, Harvard University and IISER-Pune, supported by DBT; the MSc in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, recognised by Bangalore University, took off; and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw endowed the Mazumdar-Shaw Chair in Computational Biology, with Prof. Yathindra as its first occupant. In 2019 IBAB launched a joint academia-industry PhD programme with Merck KGaA-Syngene, and a Big Data Biology programme with IIIT-B supported by DBT. In 2021 an Industrial PhD programme funded by TCS Foundation took off. In 2022 the foundation stone of the Anti Venom Research and Development Centre (AVRDC) was laid at IBAB; the institute received a DBT Builder grant to initiate an MSc programme in Big Data Biology and a DBT grant to establish a Centre for Computational Biology; and a joint academia-industry PhD programme with ThinkMolecular took off. In 2023 the MSc in Big Data Biology, recognised by Bangalore University, took off, and a joint academia-industry PhD programme with Happiest Minds/Skan Foundation began. IBAB has continued to expand its academic and research footprint. In 2025 it marked its Silver Jubilee with Foundation Day celebrations on 7 January, and it launched an "AI in Life Sciences" certificate programme with Syngene International and Biocon Academy. The institute remains an autonomous non-profit Society, governed by a Governing Board that includes leading academics, senior government officials and industry figures, and led by Director Prof. D. Sundar.

• 2025

  IBAB Silver Jubilee Celebrations – IBAB Foundation Day (Jan 7, 2025); launches "AI in Life Sciences" Certificate Program with Syngene International and Biocon Academy.

• 2023

  MSc in Big Data Biology, recognized by Bangalore University, takes off; joint academia-industry PhD programme with Happiest Minds/Skan Foundation takes off.

• 2022

  Foundation stone of Anti Venom Research and Development Centre (AVRDC) laid at IBAB; receives DBT Builder grant to initiate MSc in Big Data Biology and DBT grant to establish Centre for Computational Biology; joint academia-industry PhD programme with ThinkMolecular takes off.

• 2021

  Industrial PhD programme funded by TCS Foundation takes off.

• 2019

  Joint academia-industry PhD programme with Merck KGaA-Syngene takes off; Big Data Biology programme with IIIT-B, supported by DBT, takes off.

• 2018

  B4 programme Phase 2 launched with the Mittal Institute, Harvard University and IISER-Pune, supported by DBT; MSc in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, recognized by Bangalore University, takes off; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw endows the Mazumdar-Shaw Chair in Computational Biology, with Prof. Yathindra as first occupant.

• 2017

  Synthetic Biology programme launched.

• 2016

  Bio-IT Centre Phase 2 initiated; B4 programme Phase 1 launched with the Mittal Institute, Harvard University, supported by DBT and Government of Karnataka.

• 2015

  B-Life initiative launched.

• 2002

  First batch of students admitted in February.

• 2001

  IBAB established as a non-profit Society by the Department of IT, BT and ST, Government of Karnataka; begins functioning.

An autonomous, government-established institute at the interface of biology and informatics, positioning itself as a catalyst for the growth of the biotech, bioinformatics and related industries in Karnataka and India.

• PhD programme

  Doctoral research programme at IBAB.

• MSc in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

  MSc programme recognized by Bangalore University, launched in 2018.

• MSc in Big Data Biology

  MSc programme recognized by Bangalore University, launched in 2023.

• Postgraduate Diploma Programme

  Postgraduate diploma offering at IBAB.

• Certificate Program in AI in Life Sciences

  Certificate programme launched with Syngene International and Biocon Academy.

1. 1Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology – IBABibab.ac.in
2. 2Milestones – Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnologyibab.ac.in
3. 3About – Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnologyibab.ac.in
4. 4The Governing Board – Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnologyibab.ac.in
5. 5Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology – Wikidatawikidata.org