In 1993, the Biocatalysis Research Group, known informally as the ‘Iowa Biocats’ was established at University of Iowa. It became the Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing (CBB) and was designated the State’s industrial biotechnology laboratory in 1990. In 1995, the CBB opened a new laboratory at The University of Iowa Research Park (previously called Oakdale Research Park) North of the University of Iowa.

In 2004, CBB acquired a state-of-the-art cGMP Downstream Protein Purification Facility, and in 2006, CBB added a State-of-the-art cGMP contract fermentation facility that was supported with a $3 million grant from Grow Iowa Value Fund. Today, the CBB is the first and largest organization in the world to organize a multidisciplinary research group focused on biocatalysis and bioprocessing.