It was in the spring of 1970 that the Institute of Molecular Biology was summoned into life as part of what was then the JU Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences (decision of the Rector of the JU, prof. Mieczysław Klimaszewski dated May 1, 1970). The new unit was formed as a result of the merger of two departments – the Department of Plant Physiology and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. At the outset, the IMB consisted of four departments:

However, not long afterwards, on December 1, 1970, an additional, fifth department was created – the Department of Microbiology – headed by dr. hab. Zofia Porwit-Bóbr (some time later the name of the unit was changed to the Department of Microbiology and Immunology). 

 

Initially, the Institute was located in the historic university building, the Collegium Iuridicum, at Grodzka 53, almost directly opposite the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. While the renaissance cloisters never failed to make a good impression, the system of wooden props put up inside the Collegium Iuridicum to support the centuries-old ceilings straining under the sudden burden of so much bulky scientific equipment raised justifiable questions as to whether it was really the appropriate place for an institution concerned with working on the latest discoveries in biology and fulfilling its teaching responsibilities. 

 

From 1973, with the creation of a specialisation in molecular biology as part of the biology study programme, there was an increase in the number of students studying at the Collegium Iuridicum. In addition to courses in biochemistry, microbiology, plant physiology and cell biology, staff of the IMB started to teach compulsory subjects aimed exclusively at students of the new specialisation, including instrumental analysis, molecular genetics, immunology and biophysics, as well as giving several dozen monographic lecture courses. 

 

In 1974, the Director of the IMB at the time, dr. hab. Sarnecka-Keller, approached the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Technical Studies with a request to start work on the construction of new premises for the IMB, which unfortunately did not bear any fruit. Meanwhile, the Institute continued to grow. In 1979, a sixth department was created, the Department of Cell Biology, headed by Professor Włodzimierz Korohoda. 

 

Bearing in mind the assessment of historic building conservation experts, who were warning of a risk of impending catastrophe if the Collegium Iuridicum continued to be used in the way that it was, the Rector of the JU, Professor Mieczysław Hess, sent further petitions to Warsaw whilst at the same time seeking "replacement premises” for the IMB in Kraków. Fortunately, the Seminarium Śląskie, which had conducted its activities in Kraków up until that time, had moved into new premises in Katowice, and, as a result, the Curia agreed to lease the building to the Institute of Molecular Biology for a period of 25 years. It was thus, in 1980, with the hope of a brighter future, that the IMB celebrated its first ten years of existence. 

 

After works to adapt the building lasting nearly two years, the IMB finally moved into its new premises at Aleja Adama Mickiewicza 3, in 1981, during the vacation break between courses. The surface area in the five-floor building (built at the end of the 1920s in the modernist style, to a design by two Cracovian engineers, Zygmunt Gawlik and Franciszek Mączyński) was nearly twice that which had been available on ul. Grodzkiej and the working conditions of staff at the IMB improved significantly.   

 

In 1984, the Institute suffered a painful loss. Two of the founders of the IMB passed away within a month of each other. In July, Professor Sarnecka-Keller passed away after a struggle with cancer, while Professor Jan Zurzycki died as a result of a heart attack in August. Both were outstanding scientists and teachers, and both served as Vice-Rector of the JU during their careers with the IMB. Their research was an inspiration to subsequent generations of scientists at the Institute.  

 

A year after her death, the main lecture hall of the building at Aleja Mickiewicza 3 was dedicated in memory of Professor Sarnecka-Keller, while the Institute of Molecular Biology was named after Jan Zurzycki three years later. 

 

The same year, in 1987, Professor Aleksander Koj from the IMB was elected for the first time as Rector of the JU, after already having served as Vice-Rector, and in the forthcoming term of office had to take on the task of guiding the University unscathed through the dizzying effects of social and political change. 

 

Still, the Institute continued to develop. In the academic year of 1991/1992, the number of departments of the IMB grew to seven, as the Department of Animal Biochemistry became separate from the Department of Physical Biochemistry, headed by Professor Zygmunt Wasylewski. The start of the academic year 1994/1995 then saw the creation of the IMB Laboratory of Genetics and Virology, headed by dr. hab. Hanna Rokita. 

Meanwhile, on October 1, 1993, Professor Koj started his second term of office as Rector, going on to serve for a third term in 1996. It is thanks to his efforts during this period that the vision of building the JU's 3rd Campus and a new building for IMB became a reality.

 

1995 was a particularly significant year, as it saw the opening of the first programme of studies led by the IMB – biotechnology. The task of organising the new teaching programme was taken on by Professor Adam Dubin. The first promotion for the new five-year Master's course numbered 20 students. Three years later, doctoral studies in biochemistry and biophysics were launched at the Institute, and the academic year 1999/2000 saw the start of postgraduate studies in molecular biology. During this period, the Institute was also granted the entitlement to award the title of "doktor" (PhD) and "doktor habilitowy" (higher doctorate) in biochemistry and biophysics.

 

At the end of 1999, on November 8, an event occurred which successive governors of the Institute and the University had been working towards for 25 years – the cornerstone was laid on for the construction of the main building of the IBM. The architectural design for the building was prepared by Studio Fikus from Poznań. Coordination between the Institute and the contractor, the construction company BUDOSTAL-2, was assured by senior members of the building dr. hab. Halina Gabryś and dr. hab. Ryszard Gurbiel. At this point, it is also worth underlining the significant contribution made to the construction of the 3rd Campus by Professor Wojciech Froncisz. He was appointed in 1996 as the Rector's proxy for Campus-related matters, and subsequently elected as Vice-Rector of the JU for Development (term of office 1999-2002).  

 

The year 2000 brought another success – IMB became one of the six winners of the competition organised as part of the 5th EU Framework Programme and received a grant and the status of Centre of Excellence: Biotechnology – Integration of Education and Research. Also in the year 2000, the Department of Animal Biochemistry was transformed into three units: the Department of Cell Biochemistry (headed by Professor Aleksander Koj), the Department of Analytical Biochemistry (headed by Professor Adam Dubin), the Department of General Biochemistry (headed by Professor Andrzej Klein). In turn, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology was divided into the Department of Microbiology (headed by Professor Jan Potempa) and the Department of Immunology (headed by Professor Juliusz Pryjma).

 

Employees of the IMB spent the vacation of 2001 packing their bags for the forthcoming move. The new Institute building was already in place on the 3rd JU Campus. Finishing works were gradually nearing completion: the fitting of floor coverings and doors, paintwork, and the installation of laboratory furniture. At the start of September, trucks made the short trip from Aleja Adama Mickiewicza to Gronostajowa 7 transporting scientific apparatus, reagents, office furniture and books – the move was underway. The opening of the new premises of the IMB at Gronostajowa 7 took place on October 12. Those taking part in the ceremony included representatives of government (Minister Teresa Kamińska), the local authorities and the church (the Voivode of the Małopolska Region Ryszard Masłowski, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski) and of the University (Rector of the JU, Professor Franciszek Ziejka). 

 

With its own programme of studies, own building, ten independent departments and the entitlement to award degrees – it was only a matter of time before the Board of the IMB started to think about becoming independent itself. In February 2002, for a short time the IMB changed its name to the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, then on April 24, by a Decision of the Senate of the JU, it was transformed into the Faculty of Biotechnology. Thus, after thirty-two years, the history of the IMB conducting its activities as part of the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences came to an end.