On June 28, 1973, the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics (IMBG) of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was established pursuant to Resolution No. 263 of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. Its founders were prominent Ukrainian scientists - B. E. Paton, S. M. Gershenzon, V. P. Zosymovych, P. K. Shkvarnikov, S. B. Serebryanyi, I. P. Kok, and H. Kh. Matsuka, who became its first director (1973-2003).

Since 2003, the Director of the Institute has been Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor A. V. El'skaya (2003-2019).

In 2019, the Institute was headed by Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Mykhailo Tukalo.