"Armbiotechnology" Scientific and Production Center NAS RA, State non-profit organization ("Armbiotechnology" SPC SNPO NAS RA), was established by the RA Government Decision in 2010 as a result of merging the "Scientific Research Institute of Biotechnology" CJSC and “Center of Microbiology and Microbial Depository” NAS RA. It is the legal successor of the joint organizations.

The "Institute of Biotechnology", "Institute of Microbiology" and "Center of Microbial Depository" are institutions of the "Armbiotechnology" SPC NAS RA.

The following Associations are established and operate in the Center: "Biotechnological Association of Armenia" (BAA, 2007) and "Armenian Microbiological Association" (AMA, 2009). The latter exercising its full membership rights is included into the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS).

The Center has 127 researchers including 1 Academician of NAS RA, 1 Corresponding Member of NAS RA, 8 Doctors of Sciences and 54 Candidates of Sciences.

• Fundamental research in biotechnology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, genetic engineering and organic chemistry.
• Synthesis, production of protein and non-protein amino acids, peptides, enzymes and other biological preparations.
• Development and optimization of biotechnological processes of BAS production.
• Medical and biological screening of synthesized preparations.
• Genetics, gene engineering, genetic construction of producers.
• Solution of urgent problems in medicine, pharmacology, agriculture, food industry and ecology.
• Study of microbial diversity of Armenia. Maintenance, deposition and study of the Collection of microorganisms’ cultures of research and production significance.
• Scientific-research grants, contracts.
• Scientific-educational activity.
• Biotechnological productions (non-protein amino acids, biological fertilizers, fermented dairy products, galenical and non-galenical preparations).

Main scientific activities

- Biomimetic asymmetric synthesis. Development of efficient methods for the asymmetric synthesis of enantiomerically pure non-protein amino acids, peptides and their analogs used in pharmaceutics, PET diagnostics.
- Biotransformation and biocatalysis. Production of amino acids, enzyme preparations, polysaccharides and other biologically active substances (BAS).
- Microbiological synthesis. Search, production of BAS producing strains (L-, D-amino acids, enzymes, bioinhibitors, biostimulators, biofertilizers, bacterial insecticides) for the needs of medicine, pharmaceutical and food industries, agriculture.
- Biopreparations and bioadditives. Development of techniques for producing BAS for food, medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes.
- Management of biotechnological processes. Development of fundamentally new technological approaches of management.
- Processing of agricultural and food waste products. Development of efficient technologies.
- Study of microbial biodiversity of Armenia: systematics, taxonomy, morphology, physiology, biochemistry, cytology and genetics of microorganisms.

• Production of non-protein optically active (R)- and (S) α-amino acids and short peptides was set up.
• Production of biological fertilizers “Azotovit” “Ecobiofeed” and “Ecobiofeed+” based on free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria was set up.
• High-yield producers of L-amino acids (proline, valine, alanine, ornithine, arginine, histidine) were obtained by gene-engineering and selective methods. More than 20 technological regulations for production of L-amino acids were developed.
• To produce D-amino acids (alanine, aspartic acid, proline, methionine, leucine), microbial degradation and enzymatic hydrolysis methods were developed.
• Technologies for production of enzyme preparations (amylase, glucoamylase, bactorennine) for food industry were developed.
• Manufacture of health-improving vegetable and fruit-berry syrups, inuline, fructose and fructose-glucose syrups, β-cyclodexrins, plant and essential oils for medical and cosmetic purposes, was established.
• Production of the fermented dairy product "Narine", yoghurts was organized.
• Technologies for producing new bacterial insecticidal preparations and growth inhibitors of infectious diseases agents were developed.
• The Collection of cultures of microorganisms (more than 13000 strains) was created. 

The Center successfully collaborates with a number of scientific-research and industrial organizations of the USA, EU, CIS, China that resulted in fulfillment of joint scientific research projects and contracts within the framework of the following programs: INCO-COPERNICUS, ISTC, INTAS, CRDF, NFSAT, ANSEF, EURASIA, NATO, VOLKSWAGEN.

For contribution in the development of biotechnology and achievements in scientific collaboration the Center and, particularly, director of the Center, Academician of NAS RA, Ashot S. Saghyan were awarded “Descartes Prize” (EU, 2001), “Award of Friendship” (the Government of the Chinese People's Republic, 2002), “Golden Star” Special Prize of the International Business Initiative Directions Organization in the category “Quality and Leadership” (“International Quality Star Award”, 2003), RA President’s Prizes (2004, 2011), State Prize of RA (2016), “Tien-Shan” Prize (the Government of Xinjiang province, China, 2002, 2005), RA Prime Minister’s Diploma (2006).