The research institute comprises four separate divisions: biomedicine, chemistry, bioengineering, and electronics. It provides analytic and technical services to other scientific institutions, according to Manuel Limonta, former director of CIGB, along with leading the country in post-graduate bioscience education.

Additional Information: While CIGB has replaced CENIC as Cuba's premier bioscientific institution, historically this institute has played an important role in Cuban biotechnology, and continues to train scientists who then move on to work at other institutions.

Key Sources: Manuel Limonta, "Biotechnology and the Third World: Development Strategies in Cuba," Biomedical Science and the Third World, ed., Barry Bloom and Anthony Cerami, (New York: New York Academy of Sciences, 1989), pp. 325-333; Charles Cooper (ed.), Technology and Innovation in the International Economy (Maastricht, Holland: Edward Elgar- United Nations University Press, 1994), p. 2.4.4; M. Elderhorst, "Will Cuba's biotechnology capacity survive the socio-economic crisis?" Biotechnology and Development Monitor, No. 20, pp. 11-13, 22.2004