History of IBB

The Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences was established thanks to the far-sighted policy approach and the organizational energy of professor Józef Heller. Together with professor Włodzimierz Niemierko, he played a central role in the process of reviving the research fields of biochemistry and animal physiology in Poland after the disaster of World War II. Professor Heller led the Committee of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS since its establishment in 1952 and he collected information about researchers who had survived the war. They were based mainly in Wrocław in the group of prof. Tadeusz Baranowski and in Gdańsk in the group of prof. Włodzimierz Mozołowski, both of whom were former students of professor Jakub Parnas, a great scientist and head of the Department of Medical Chemistry at the University in Lwów.

On February 9, 1954, the Scientific Secretariate of the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences adopted a resolution (Resolution No. 26/54) on the establishment of the Department of Biochemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences – effective May 1, 1954 – as an auxiliary scientific and research unit. Initially the Department was located on the premises of three institutions: the National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw, the Medical Academy in Warsaw and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). The leadership of the Biochemistry Department was assigned to the PAS correspondence member prof. dr hab. Józef Heller.

The Department of Biochemistry PAS became the foundation of the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, which was established as an independent research institution by Resolution No. 10/56 of the Presidium of PAS dated January 10, 1956. The above resolution of the Presidium of PAS was approved by the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic of Poland by Resolution No. 85/57 dated March 14, 1957. The Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics was launched as a federation of several labs dispersed over Warsaw and Gdańsk: the Laboratory of Evolutionary Biochemistry was located within the Medical Department of the Warsaw University, the Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry was located at the Higher Agricultural School (now the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, SGGW), the Laboratory of Microbial Biochemistry was located in Oczki Street in Warsaw, while the Laboratory of Biochemical Pathology, which was concentrating mainly on tuberculosis research, was located in Gdańsk. The Institute pursued a broad, multidirectional research programme, as Józef Heller later reflected: “…it was better to be moving in multiple directions. That was because I was thinking about the future, about educating specialists in many fields of biochemistry.“

The dispersed groups moved into a common building in 1963. They were located in Rakowiecka Str. 36, in a building belonging to the Institute of Fermentation Technology (now Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology) and other food technology institutes This was an important step in introducing in vivo research approaches in the Institute. The change of profile from physiological towards molecular research was possible thanks to the fact that now all research groups were working together, under one roof, and that the Institute received additional financial support which allowed purchasing state-of-the-art research equipment. In 1993 the Institute finally moved to its own building, in the current location at Pawińskiego Str. 5A in Warsaw, and initiated further development of the research profile, now including bioinformatics.

During the period from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences was celebrating its 70th anniversary. An Anniversary Celebrations Commission was established, chaired by prof. dr hab. Jacek Hennig. The Commission has planned and implemented a series of events and activities that brought the history of IBB PAS to the public.

Since May 15, 2024, in the Institute’s main lobby, an exhibition of artifacts, equipment and laboratory glassware used at IBB PAS in the second half of the 20th century has been taking place. This exhibition presents – for the Institute’s Community, our Guests, as well as people passing by – the toolset which we had been using in our work. We expect this will be of interest not only to us!

On 10.10.2024 at 10 am a celebration of the anniversary took place. We invite everybody to watch a recording of the ceremony: 70 years of IBB. More about the history of IBB can be found in sections devoted to the passing decades: The Beginnings, The 50’s, The 60’s, The 70’s, The 80’s, The 90’s, Beyond 2000, or from additional materials.

More information about IBB can be found here: Science in IBB PAS 2024

Letters of congratulation

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the IBB, we received many letters of congratulation. We sincerely thank you for all the kind words and wishes addressed to the Directors and Employees of the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS, which were expressed during the celebration, both on stage and behind the scenes. We would also like to thank you for the gifts and letters that we received – they will be exhibited at the Institute or stored in our archives. Due to time constraints, most of the congratulatory letters could not be read at the ceremony, however, we are very grateful for the appreciative words from such esteemed people, representing all the honorable institutions listed below. Your support and kindness are of great importance to IBB PAS.

The letters of congratulation received on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of IBB PAS are available below (in Polish):

Ambasador Turcji w Polsce, Sz. P. Rauf Alp Denktaș

Minister Nauki, Sz. P. Dariusz Wieczorek

Prezes Polskiej Akademii Nauk, prof. dr hab. Marek Konarzewski

Dziekan oraz Przewodniczący Rady Wydziału II Nauk Biologicznych i Rolniczych PAN, prof. dr hab. Krzysztof W. Nowak, prof. dr hab. Romuald Zabielski

Przewodnicząca Komitetu Biotechnologii PAN, prof. dr hab. Ewa Łojkowska

Rektor Warszawskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego, prof. dr hab. Rafał Krenke

Rektor Politechniki Morskiej w Szczecinie, dr hab. inż. kpt.ż.w. Wojciech Ślączka

Dziekan Wydziału Biochemii, Biofizyki i Biotechnologii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, prof. dr hab. Jolanta Jura

Dziekan Wydziału Chemii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, prof. dr hab. Sławomir Sęk

Dyrektor Instytutu Biologii Molekularnej i Biotechnologii Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Sobczak

Dyrektor Instytutu Biologii SGGW, prof. dr hab. Agnieszka Gniazdowska-Piekarska