The Institute for the Biology and Chemistry of  Proteins (IBCP), a research unit (UMR 5086) administered jointly by the CNRS and by Lyon University, is located in Lyon (France) in the Gerland area,at the confluence of the Rhone and the Saone rivers.This institute was created administratively in 1990 on the initiative of CNRS as a CNRS Unit research (UPR 412) and became UMR in 1999. From 1990 to 2006, the IBCP was directed by Pr Alain Cozzone assisted by Pr Robert Garrone (1990-2004) and by Pr Gilbert Deléage (2005-2007).
The IBCP is one of several research units making up the Federated Research Institute (IFR 28) "Biosciences Gerland-Lyon Sud ". It constitutes the "Protein Science" department.

The current building dates from 1992 (phase 1), and was extended in 1997 (phase 2, North West wing) and again in 2003 (phase 3, two additional floors), making a current surface area of 4500 m2 distributed over 5 floors.

In general, the aim of the research carried out at the IBCP is the study of proteins in their biological context. Approaches used include integrative cellular (cell culture, various types of microscopies) and molecular techniques, both experimental (including biocrystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance) and theoretical (structural bioinformatics).

Research at the IBCP comprises 13 groups working on topics such as cancer, extracellular matrix, tissue engineering, infectiology, membranes, cell transport and signalling, bioinformatics and structural biology. Altogether, it includes about 160 people (researchers, university academic staff, technicians, administrative staff), representing 9 nationalities, of which half have tenured positions.

The IBCP houses the Lyon-Gerland site of the Rhone-Alpes Bioinformatics Centre (PRABI).