The Institute of Protein Biochemistry (IBP) is one of 107 Institutes of the National Research Council (CNR), the largest italian research network. The main scientific questions at the IBP are how proteins work and how they assemble into functioning molecular machines in cells; and also how this basic knowledge can be exploited in drug discovery and biotechnological applications. Investigations range from issues of protein structure/ dynamics and biocatalysis to molecular mechanisms underlying fundamental cell functions. Biotechnology and pharmacology are central interests. The IBP has made a major effort to set up modern central facilities to provide essential support to the work of individual scientists and laboratories. These include a large bioimaging facility as well as mass-spectrometry, FACS analysis and chemo-bio informatics facilities. The IBP is embedded in the Castellino campus, a large and growing research area encompassing other six CNR institutes with synergic areas of expertise: IGB (genetics, molecular biology and biophysics) IMM (microfluidics, photonics) ICAR (ICT and bioinformatics), IAC (mathematical, statistical and computational platforms), IBBR and IBAF (plant, agrofood and environmental science); and several spin-offs and industrial research laboratories. Moreover, the IBP is well connected to the Naples scientific community, with 19 CNR Institutes (and 15 territorial sections) and 5 Universities with a total of about 80000 students.
