The International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) is a unique scientific institution, operating since 1999, on the basis of the international agreement between UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Poland. The Institute works according to the standards of the best academic institutions in the world. Nine research groups comprise the structure of IIMCB: Laboratory of Structural Biology (M.Bochtler), Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering (J. M. Bujnicki), Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (J. Jaworski), Laboratory of Neurodegeneration (J. Kuźnicki), Laboratory of Cell Biology (M. Miączyńska), Laboratory of Iron Homeostasis (K. Mleczko-Sanecka), Laboratory of Protein Structure (M. Nowotny), Laboratory of Protein Metabolism in Development and Aging (W. Pokrzywa) Laboratory of Zebrafish Developmental Genomics IIMCB/Max Planck (C. L. Winata) and two external groups: Laboratory of Biomolecular Interactions and Transport in Poznań (J. Brezovsky) and Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Metabolism Max Planck/IIMCB in Bad Nauheim (M. Potente). The scientists working for the Institute are high-class specialists with outstanding knowledge, skills, and commitment to innovative and pioneering scientific work. The measure of their success is the number of publications in leading scientific journals. More than six hundred published articles which were cited more than 13000 times is a reason for a huge professional satisfaction. A great advantage of the Institute is that the researchers have complete freedom in choosing subjects and methods of implementing projects as well as obtaining funds for their research. During several years of work the Institute became part of the European and international research area which is evidenced by scientific cooperation with world-leading research centres, frequent visits of prominent scientists.