CIBER-BBN is an independent research centre as regards scientific management, although it is a subject area within CIBER, a unique research structure in Spain in the field of biomedical research that has a huge scientific potential.
The highest governing body of CIBER is the Board of Trustees, which is made up of three representatives from ISCIII and by an institutional representative from each of the institutions in the consortium. It is presided by the Director of the ISCIII and meets every six months.
The Permanent Commission is an appointed commission (formed by the ISCIII and 8 members of the Board of Trustees that are changed every six months) that meets more often in order to make decisions in a timely manner which, given their nature, cannot wait to be approved at the Board of Trustees meeting.
Within the BBN (Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine) subject area, the basic and functional units consist of 47 research groups (45 full member groups and 2 associated groups in 2014), which were described previously.
From the scientific viewpoint, the organisational structure of CIBER-BBN is based on the research groups forming it, and its activity is based on Research Programmes and Horizontal Programmes. There is one coordinator for each Programme who is a member of the Steering Committee.
Scientific decisions are made by the Scientific Director, who is advised by the Steering Committee and the External Scientific Committee. The Steering Committee, presided by the Scientific Director, includes programme coordinators and the CIBER manager.