The Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Program (MBBP) was established by the University of the Philippines Board of Regents in 1987 under the College of Science, UP Diliman. The program was created to train BS, MS, and PhD graduates to respond to our country’s need for experts to serve in academe and in industry. The first faculty members of the program came from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics of the College of Science. The first “home” of the program was the Natural Sciences Research Institute, or NSRI.

In 2000, the MBBP became the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, UP Diliman (NIMBB-UPD). In 2006 the NIMBB-UPD was declared a Center of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

On December 8, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo created the National Science Complex with Executive Order 583. The EO enabled the NIMBB-UPD to build its definitive seat in the south sector of UP Diliman. Operations at the new building began in 2012. The building is equipped with a large central research laboratory shared by all investigators, four teaching labs, two large classrooms, two small lecture rooms, and two seminar rooms. The building also houses a satellite of the College of Science Library.

The NIMBB-UPD has implemented several extension programs to increase public awareness of molecular biology and biotechnology. In 2020, the institute conducted a two-month training course on COVID-19 RT-PCR testing for personnel of several hospitals and health facilities.  This program has since been converted to a free online training module entitled, COLLAb: COVID-19 Online Learning Lab.

The NIMBB-UPD also houses several service facilities. This includes the Multi-Dimensional Imaging Center (MDIC), a drug discovery and development facility (DMBEL Lab Services), and a Genome Editing Facility.