CENTRO DE INGENIERIA GENETICA Y BIOTECNOLOGIA

Their core work

CIGB is Cuba's principal biotech and genetic engineering research center, based in Havana. Their H2020 participation spans two distinct areas: computational analysis of protein structures and sequence-function relationships (REFRACT), and the development of peptide- and polysaccharide-based nanomaterials for sustainable applications (PEPSA-MATE). They contribute as a third-party partner in MSCA-RISE exchanges, meaning European research teams bring CIGB scientists into their consortia specifically for specialist expertise rather than for project management. Their work bridges molecular biology and applied materials chemistry.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CIGB entered H2020 collaboration through a bioinformatics lens — REFRACT (2019) centered on computational prediction and classification of tandem repeat proteins, with an emphasis on building sequence-function databases and ontologies. By 2020, PEPSA-MATE shifted the focus toward applied biochemistry: peptides and polysaccharides as physical nanomaterials, processed via green sonochemistry for sustainable applications. This trajectory suggests a move from in-silico protein science toward wet-lab, application-oriented chemistry — bridging discovery-stage biology and industrial material development.

CIGB is moving from computational biology toward applied material sciences using biological molecules — a direction that opens collaboration opportunities in sustainable packaging, biomedicine, and green chemistry sectors.

How they like to work

CIGB has participated exclusively as a third-party partner in both H2020 projects, receiving no direct EU funding — a role common for non-EU institutions in MSCA-RISE schemes, where collaboration happens through researcher mobility and exchange rather than standard consortium agreements. They work within large, multinational consortia (26 partners across 15 countries), which indicates their expertise functions as a specialist node rather than a project management hub. Engaging with CIGB means structuring an MSCA-style staff exchange arrangement, not a typical subcontracting or work-package lead relationship.

CIGB has connected with 26 distinct consortium partners across 15 countries through just two projects — an unusually broad network for such a small H2020 footprint, characteristic of the large multi-institutional consortia typical of MSCA-RISE schemes. No repeated partner patterns are detectable from this data, suggesting broad rather than deep network ties.

What sets them apart

As one of the very few Cuban research institutions in the H2020 database, CIGB brings a genuinely rare geographic and institutional profile — access to Cuban scientific expertise that is otherwise difficult to reach through standard European research channels. Their dual capability in computational protein science and applied peptide chemistry covers both the discovery and application stages of the biotech pipeline, making them a versatile partner across research and development phases. For consortium builders seeking non-EU partner diversity in MSCA schemes, CIGB offers both scientific credibility and geographic distinctiveness that few institutions can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• REFRACT
  A long-running (2019–2024) bioinformatics initiative on repeat protein topology classification — a technically specific area where CIGB contributed computational biology expertise to a large multi-country consortium.
• PEPSA-MATE
  Combines nanomaterial design, green chemistry, and biopolymers in a single project — demonstrating CIGB's applied range well beyond pure life sciences research.