The Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) is a world-class biomedical research institute affiliated with the University of Basel and Novartis Biomedical Research. Named after Friedrich Miescher, the Basel biochemist who discovered nucleic acids, the FMI was founded in 1970 by Ciba and Geigy — Novartis’ predecessor companies — to bridge academic research and the pharmaceutical industry. With an international staff of about 330 people, including more than 150 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, the FMI conducts cutting-edge research in genome regulation, multicellular systems and neurobiology. The FMI is located in the vibrant city of Basel, Switzerland’s third-largest city and Europe’s leading hub for the life sciences.

The mission of the FMI is twofold: to understand the fundamental mechanisms of health and disease, and to train early career scientists.

Our 20 research groups pursue curiosity-driven research in the areas of genome regulation, multicellular systems and neurobiology. Their work spans a broad range of approaches — from molecular and structural studies to imaging, computational methods and systems-level analyses. All our groups are well recognized and connected in their respective fields internationally. Their efforts are supported by a set of state-of-the art technology platforms run by scientists providing expertise and training in the latest technologies.

Our PhD and MD–PhD programs — with two calls per year — attract students from around the world. The FMI is affiliated with the University of Basel, where most of our graduate students are enrolled and where many of our group leaders teach as professors.

The FMI is also affiliated with Novartis Biomedical Research. Our institute receives core funding from the Novartis Research Foundation, and FMI scientists have many research collaborations with Novartis — including a shared cryo-Electron Microscopy platform and a shared Applied Tissue Model Center (to study organoids). Novartis has first right of refusal on intellectual property originating from the FMI. Since 2024, the FMI has been located on the Novartis Campus, in a former production building that has been fully remodeled. This long-term support reflects Novartis’ commitment to basic research and scientific training.

Core funding is complemented by competitive grants and fellowships from national and international agencies, such as the European Research Council (ERC). Historically, the FMI has achieved one of the highest success rates in Europe for ERC grant applications.

The FMI is currently led by Professor Dirk Schübeler who is also a research group leader.