The IQCB is being built by passionate people from various research fields and disciplines who strongly believe that interdisciplinary teamwork is critical to addressing the most fundamental challenges in the natural and life sciences: extending human ‘health-span’, making food production sustainable and mitigating the multi-faceted detrimental effects of climate change on the biosphere. A wide range of expertise and skills come together here to catalyze the development of new research approaches by working closely together on theoretical and applied research projects and creating the base for a competitive hub of knowledge and innovation.