The Institute of Biophysics of the Medical School was founded on the 1st of January, 1990, at the University of Genoa, following an initiative of  Prof. Claudio Nicolini who in 1984 had been called as "Eminent Scientist" for "chiara fama" from the USA (where he was Full Professor and Director of the Division of Biophysics at the Health Science Center of the Temple University in Philadelphia) to the Eminent Chair of Biophysics at the  Medical School of the University of Genova.
In 1990, with the establishment of the new Institute, the Direction and the Administration were settled in S. Martino (University area) while the research laboratories were located in Sestri Ponente (industrial zone), in an area of 500 m² put at disposition by IRI-ANCIFAP under free loan conditions. The time trend of the Biophysics  structured personnel  until now (Figure 1) resulted over the years in a constant growth with the progressive acquisition of several external contracts and of  new Ph.D. in Biophysics  (trained within an in house program dottorato.ibf.unige.it ,the first in this field nation-wide since 1990).
At the beginning of 1998 the Institute moved to the new site in the University area with new resources
and significantly improved facilities. As part of University-wide reorganization, in March 1999  the Institute of Biophysics merged with other Institutes of the Medical School  to form  the new  Department of Biophysical M&O Sciences and Technologies (DISTBIMO) adding up to 82 members having Professor Nicolini as its first Chairman.

Later in June 16th 2004, it was created a new interuniversity center of Organic and Biological Nanotechnologies and Nanosciences named Nanoworld Institute - C.I.R.N.N.O.B., upon initiative of Prof. Nicolini from University of Genoa and Prof. Gaspa from University of Sassari, , where the entire Biophysics laboratories merged. At the Nanoworld Institute - C.I.R.N.N.O.B. the Biophysics has further significantly increased its space and laboratory facilities into a completely renovated four-floors building and consists of 28 staff members (2 Full Professor, 1 Associate Professors, 2 Assistant Professors, 1 Visiting Professor, 4 Junior Faculty, 5 technicians, 1 clerical personnel and 12 structured research associates mostly with PhD in Biophysics). Presently after a reorganization described elsewhere in this site the Biophysics and Nanobiotecchnology Laboratories.has concentrated their activity in the large top floor with 21 staff members, .

 
  Genoa, 15 July 2011