The Institute of Biochemical Microbiology (IMB) was born in 1968 as a joint centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Dept. of Microbiology ascribed to the School of Biology, University of Salamanca (USAL). The IMB is one of the pioneering joint centres between the CSIC and the Spanish universities. Its origin and history is tightly linked to the figure of Prof. Dr. Julio R. Villanueva.

The joint centre acquires official entity on February 01, 1985. From 1968 to 1985 the IMB was mainly dedicated to the formation of scientists and teachers in the area of Microbiology that find permanent positions in several Spanish universities. Starting 1986, the IMB begins to consolidate its own research groups.

The IMB was officially integrated into the Dept. of Microbiology and Genetics (DMG) in 1985. The IMB is physically located, since 1993, at the "Edificio Departamental" (Departmental Building, belonging to the USAL). It covers a surface area of about 1100 m2 distributed between research laboratories and personnel offices (800 m2), and general services (300 m2). Currently, a total of more than 100 persons integrated in 20 research groups are working at the IMB.

In 2004 both CSIC and USAL decided to segregate the IMB from the DMG and to consider it as a research joint centre belonging to both institutions, pending to update the specific agreement that regulates its functioning.