HUN-REN Biological Research Centre (HUN-REN BRC), Szeged, Hungary

The HUN-REN Biological Research Centre (HUN-REN BRC), Szeged  is one of Hungary's most distinguished institutions in the life sciences, conducting internationally recognised research across the full breadth of modern biology. Founded in 1973 and based in Szeged, the Centre was conceived from the outset as a modern, multidisciplinary research platform. Its four institutes — Biophysics, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Plant Biology — form the scientific backbone of the Centre, combining deep institute-level expertise with shared platforms for advanced imaging, high-throughput screening, and molecular and cellular analysis.

Research at HUN-REN BRC spans a wide spectrum of modern biology, from the industrial exploitation of microorganisms and the targeted improvement of cultivated plants to questions bearing on human health and environmental protection. HUN-REN BRC is primarily devoted to fundamental scientific discovery, yet it maintains clear pathways toward biomedical, biotechnological, and agricultural application — with researchers also playing an active role in academic teaching and in building and managing biotechnology ventures.

HUN-REN BRC 's research infrastructure is anchored by the Complex Molecular and Cell Biology Centre, which provides shared advanced capabilities in flow cytometry, functional genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, and advanced light and electron microscopy. Dedicated animal facilities and substantial plant research infrastructure — including 14 high-capacity climate chambers and two computer-controlled phytotrons — further extend the Centre's experimental reach.

These resources support 450 staff members and underpin a broad network of strategic partnerships, including close ties with the University of Szeged, Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine (HCEMM), and the Attosecond Light Pulse Source of the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI-ALPS) project, as well as academic, clinical, and industrial collaborations across Europe and beyond.  In 2024, its 221 researchers produced 164 publications, virtually all of which appeared in impact-factor-indexed journals, achieving a cumulative impact factor of 1,096.7 and a total of 16,894 citations. The Centre has secured six ERC grants, and its 2024 innovation outputs included a joint pharmacological patent, bacteriophage-library licensing, participation in Richter's neuroinflammation cluster, and an agreement on the commercialisation of a novel cell-delivery technology.

Learn more about HUN-REN BRC by visiting its website.

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