Biocentrum Helsinki is a large umbrella organization hosted by the University of Helsinki and Aalto University, with some 600 people engaged in research in molecular biology, experimental biomedicine, biotechnology and bioinformatics. The current 34 member groups are located at Aalto university and on two separate campuses of the University of Helsinki: the Meilahti Campus housing the Medical Sciences and the Viikki Campus housing the Biological sciences.

In the Meilahti Campus the groups are located in Biomedicum Helsinki and Haartman Institute, and in the Viikki Campus in the Viikki Biocenter housing the Institute of Biotechnology and the Faculties of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Pharmacy, and Neuroscience center.

The research activities at Biocentrum Helsinki range from human molecular genetics to plant biotechnology and data analysis. The member groups in Biocentrum Helsinki are selected by international experts strictly on the basis of their scientific accomplishments, providing that their work is relevant for the fields of molecular biology, experimental biomedicine, biotechnology, or bioinformatics.

In addition to promoting high quality research in the member groups Biocentrum Helsinki supports the repatriation of Finnish scientists as well as the recruitment of young foreign scientists by allocating two-year start-up grants.

Biocentrum Helsinki coordinates, establishes and supports research infrastructures, currently located in the Meilahti and Viikki Campuses. In addition it coordinates research training by supporting weekly seminar series on both campuses, as well as relevant lectures and symposia in the University of Helsinki and Aalto University, . Biocentrum Helsinki runs the inter-campus Graduate Program in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and supports the function of the Graduate Program in Biomedicine and the Viikki Doctoral Programme in Molecular Biosciences.

Biocentrum Helsinki is a member of Biocenter Finland, a network promoting research, development and collaboration between all major Biocenters in Finland. Among the Finnish biocenters Biocentrum Helsinki is the most diversified.