The National Research Council's (CNR) Institute of Crystallography focuses on such basic research as structural chemistry, structural biology and material science.

The institute's Trieste section, which has been located in Area Science Park since 1993, concentrates on the development and operation of the diffraction of ELETTRA's XERD1 beamline and its subsequent use for crystallographic studies of proteins and materials.

The institute examines the relationship between molecular/crystal structure and chemical, physical and biological properties, and the characterization of materials in the solid state using X-ray diffractometry. Such research enhances our understanding of the relationship between protein structure and function, shedding light, for example, on bio-pharmacological materials and activities that may be used in the design of new drugs.