March 2026- Roche has inaugurated a new research facility to serve as the home of its Institute of Human Biology (IHB), marking a key step in the company’s strategy to advance drug discovery and development through human model systems.
Thomas Schinecker, CEO of the Roche Group: “The inauguration of the Institute of Human Biology reinforces our commitment to Switzerland as a global innovation hub, where Roche invests around CHF 3.5 billion in research each year. By combining human organoid models with artificial intelligence, IHB has the potential to change how we discover and develop new medicines — making research and development more predictive and more efficient. Together with our partners, we aim to bring innovative treatments to patients faster.”
Azad Bonni, Global Head and Director of the Institute of Human Biology: “Modern medicine requires sophisticated technologies. By pioneering human model systems and better understanding human disease, we will move beyond the limitations of traditional research to predict if and how new treatments will work in people. This new research facility allows our scientists to make and translate discoveries at the intersection of fundamental and industry sciences, changing how we understand and tackle human disease.”
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The IHB focuses on integrating human disease biology, computational biology and translational bioengineering to develop advanced systems that closely replicate human disease processes. By bringing together multidisciplinary expertise, researchers will work on generating sophisticated models including cultured tissue samples, organoids, microfluidic organ-on-chip technologies and in silico simulations. These approaches are expected to enhance understanding of disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses, contributing to the evolution of research and development.
The newly opened Building 92 is designed to accommodate up to 250 researchers and promote collaboration between scientific disciplines. The facility features modular laboratories intended to support sustainable expansion and encourage closer interaction between fundamental research and industry applications.
