To advance biotechnology by integrating molecular and biological science through research on biomolecular structure and function, biomolecular systems and biometrology, and through the development of new technologies for measurement, analysis, and design. CARB also provides training and fosters development of the biotech industry.

CARB is a partnership among the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI), the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Montgomery County, Maryland. The University of Maryland and NIST have shared a history of cooperation in education, research, and public service. In early 1983, the University, NIST, and Montgomery County instituted plans to increase the University’s presence in Montgomery County by establishing a Center devoted to life sciences research. In 1984, Montgomery County and the University agreed to develop the 50 acre “Gudelsky Tract” for use by the University System of Maryland.

The “Gudelsky Tract” was originally donated to Montgomery County by the Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation to support the expansion of higher education. The first CARB building was constructed by Montgomery County for CARB and opened in 1989. A second CARB building opened in 1995, and a third building opened in 2006.