The Institute of Enzymology is one of the five institutes of the Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Research at the Szeged Biological Research Center (BRC), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, began in 1970, although the construction of the whole complex was completed only in 1973.

Five individual institutes constitute the Research Center: Biophysics, Biochemistry, Enzymology (in Budapest), Genetics and Plant Biology.

A number of research groups (usually 3-10 researchers) are working in each institute. The individual teams work on different topics but maintain close collaboration with other research groups and/or research institutes. The major emphasis is on basic research, however, consideration is given to subject areas which may have practical application. Primarily, problems of agriculture, food industry and pharmaceutical industry are being dealt with.

The BRC keeps close contact with several departments of the Szeged University. The BRC takes part in their teaching programmes and provides an opportunity for students majoring in biomedical sciences to work for their theses in one of the institutes of BRC.

During the past decade, BRC researchers have established a considerable network of international ties.

Also, for more than ten years, an International Training Course on selected topics of modern biology is organized at the Center, sponsored by UNESCO-ICRO and accomodating 15-20 participants annually. Participants are primarily from developing countries. The living expenses of these research fellows and the costs of their work are defrayed by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.