The Marine Biology Laboratory (BIOMAR) was established in 1969 at the Université Libre de Bruxelles by Prof. Dr. Michel Jangoux, a marine biologist and expert in echinoderms. As first director, he led BIOMAR’s primary research on the biology and ecology of marine benthic invertebrates, with a special focus on echinoderms.

Collaboration and Education has always been central to BIOMAR’s vision. Since 1989, it is member of the Interuniversity Center for Marine Biology (Centre Interuniversitaire de Biologie Marine, CIBIM), an umbrella organisation facilitating research and teaching among three other research institutions: Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics BOMB, Numerical Ecology of Aquatic Systems ECONUM and the Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines IH.SM.

Accumulating over 50 years of experience, BIOMAR’s invertebrate expertise has reached the tropics and polar coastal systems; investigated a wide range of topics, such as morphology, biomechanics, ecophysiology, biogeography and global change impacts on Antarctic benthic ecosystems.

Today, the BIOMAR Lab carries out its marine invertebrate research on three focus areas: Tropical Reef Biodiversity, Polar Ecophysiology Dynamics and Integrative Biological Processes.

Take a look at our Projects and Publications pages for more details on current research activities.