INEB is a private non-profit association with the statute of public interest, founded in June 1989 by six institutions, including the University of Porto (UPorto). The mission of INEB is to generate knowledge, by promoting research, advanced training and technology transfer in Biomedical Engineering. INEB has adopted the motto "Engineering for life" to express its involvement in the development of technologies and devices aimed at improving patients’ quality of life and the continuous learning with living organisms.
Transdisciplinarity is a distinctive feature of INEB. Integrative research, involving specialists in biomaterials, tissue regeneration, nanomedicine, bioimaging, medical signals, geoepidemiology, biology and medicine has brought international recognition to the institute. The clinical applications of work in progress are in orthopedics and dentistry, neurology, obstetrics, oncology, and cardiology. About 200 people work at INEB, almost 55 of whom hold a doctoral degree and about 100 are postgraduate students. INEB is a dynamic institute with a large majority of young researchers and is strongly involved in postgraduate education through advanced training.