The "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas" (CSIC) is the largest public research body in Spain and plays an active role in the implementation of the science policy of the Government through its Research Centres across Spain. CSIC is a multidisciplinary research institution covering all fields of knowledge, from basic research through advanced technological development. CSIC is organised into eight scientific and technical areas, including Biology and Biomedicine. CSIC accounts for 20% of all international scientific publications from Spain and 36% of all European patents with inventors in Spain. CSIC is structured in 116 Research Centres, one of them being the "Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia" (CNB).