The Institute of Biotechnology (formerly the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Centre) at the National University of Mexico was founded in 1982. Presently, the Institute has 8500 m2 of research laboratories (including a Pilot Plant) and consists of 26 research groups with 58 researchers, supported by 45 research assistants and 105 postgraduate students. Fifteen lines of research are extant in four Departments. In the Department of Bioengineering, work is conducted in industrial microbiology, bioprocess engineering and enzyme technology.