The Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) is an autonomous research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore. Its mission is "to develop and foster a vibrant research culture for biological and biomedical sciences which will support the development of biotechnology for the human healthcare industry in Singapore".
The institute was established in 1987 originally at the National University of Singapore. In 2004 IMCB moved to a new purpose-built building at Biopolis, a 185,000 square metres (2,000,000 sq ft) biomedical complex consisting of seven buildings.
From a modest start with 38 scientists IMCB today has a research staff of over 400. These comprise an internationally diverse group representing Asia, North America, and Europe. IMCB focuses on research in the fields of cell biology, developmental biology, structural biology, genomics and infectious diseases. The IMCB has established collaborations with industry, universities, and research institutions worldwide.
In 2008, they laid off a number of their staff in a controversial move; Cai Mingjie, one of the first principal investigators to be removed from his post, would go on to become a taxicab driver and start a highly popular blog about his experiences.
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