Roche Opens Institute of Human Biology in Basel to Advance Drug Development

The institute will host up to 250 researchers and focus on advancing human model systems to better understand disease biology and improve drug discovery outcomes.

Roche has opened its Institute of Human Biology (IHB) in Basel, marking a significant expansion of its research infrastructure aimed at accelerating the development of new medicines. The facility, located in Building 92, is part of a broader 1.4 billion Swiss franc investment in the Basel life sciences hub.

The institute will host up to 250 researchers and focus on advancing human model systems to better understand disease biology and improve drug discovery outcomes. Roche plans to integrate approaches such as organoid models, microfluidic organ-on-chip technology, and computational methods, including artificial intelligence, to replicate human diseases with greater precision.

The initiative aims to address limitations of traditional research models by enabling more predictive and efficient development of therapies. By combining biological insights with computational tools, the institute is expected to support earlier and more accurate evaluation of treatment effectiveness.

Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Roche Group, said the launch reinforces the company’s continued investment in Switzerland as a research hub. “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,” he said.

Azad Bonni, Global Head and Director of the Institute of Human Biology, noted that the facility will support collaboration across basic and industrial research. “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,” he said.

Roche invests approximately 3.5 billion Swiss francs annually in research and development in Switzerland. The new institute is expected to strengthen capabilities in translational bioengineering and computational biology, supporting efforts to improve the accuracy of disease modeling and drug discovery.

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