Established in 1927, the Tihany-based institute, now known as the HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute (HUN-REN BLRI), is the country's largest biological research institute with a long history, and is a key research centre for the protection of water quality and fish management in Lake Balaton. Its main task is environmental research in freshwaters. We focus on the biota of Lake Balaton and its catchment, its spatial and temporal variations, life processes, metabolic characteristics and the local and global processes, environmental factors and human impacts that affect them. The Institute also carries out basic and applied research related to the international conventions in force on the protection of aquatic habitats, biodiversity and water quality. We are actively involved in and open to further collaborations with the scientific and economic communities in the field of scientific and research development, both nationally and internationally.