The Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA) was founded to provide an interdisciplinary research facility for the scientific community of the S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital in Bologna, Italy. The concepts of the laboratory are to combine in one location sophisticated instrumention for cutting edge biomedical research and to foster collaborative interactions between different research teams to more readily transform basic research discoveries into new treatments. Thus, each participating research team has direct access to hundreds of thousands of Euros of advanced laboratory tools and a wealth of research expertise in diverse scientific disciplines. Indeed, CRBA space and facilities also provides an ideal environment for the research programs of non-tenure- track young scientists to reach a satisfactory degree of research independence in the absence of large individual research grants.

All members of CRBA are personally committed to share their scientific expertise with their colleagues and to provide the necessary funds to conduct their individual research activities. A portion of each investigator's time is also devoted to assist laboratory support staff to fulfill essential CRBA functions and to maintain the efficient operation of shared equipment.

The CRBA initiative was established in the year 2000 under the auspices of both the Director of the Hospital and the Rector of the University of Bologna along with the substantial financial partnership of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna. Since its foundation, the strategic vision of the CRBA has been to establish a multi-floor research center to concentrate and focus our hospital's bio-medical research facilities and unique research talents, placing high value on shared pursuits. From June 2006, the Center is ISO 9001:2000 Quality Certified to better meet the analytical needs of clinical research activities and international scientific collaborations.