中国科学院西北高原生物研究所成立于1962年，是以从事青藏高原生物科学研究（包括基础理论、应用基础和应用开发研究）为主的公益性综合研究所，其前身是中国科学院青海分院生物研究所。2018年9月中国科学院三江源国家公园研究院在中国科学院西北高原生物研究所挂牌成立。由中科院、青海省政府依托西北高原所共同建设，机构办公地点设在西北高原所，实行“一个机构、两块牌子、一体化运行”。 

中国科学院西北高原生物研究所研究方向为高寒草地对全球气候变化的响应、高寒草地的健康与生物安全、高原生物的适应与进化、区域可持续发展、藏药现代化、特色生物资源持续利用、特色生物资源高值利用、高原作物与牧草品种选育和高原农业资源高效利用。

重大突破:

1、区域可持续发展——高寒草地生态系统可持续管理技术

2、藏药现代化——重金属安全性评价技术

重点培育方向:

1、高原生物适应进化机制与分子育种

2、特色生物资源持续利用

3、高寒草地对全球气候变化的响应 

Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) was founded in 1962. It is a comprehensive non-profit research institute mainly engaged in biological science research on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (including basic theory, application basis and application development research). Its predecessor was the Institute of Biology, Qinghai Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences. In September 2018, the Sanjiangyuan National Park Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was established in the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is jointly built by CAS and Qinghai Provincial government on the basis of the Northwest Plateau Institute. The office of the Institute is located in the Northwest Plateau Institute, and "one institute, two brands, integrated operation" is implemented.

The research interests of Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences include response of alpine grassland to global climate change, health and biosafety of alpine grassland, adaptation and evolution of plateau organisms, regional sustainable development, modernization of Tibetan medicine, sustainable utilization of characteristic biological resources, high-value utilization of characteristic biological resources, breeding of plateau crops and herbage varieties, and efficient utilization of plateau agricultural resources.

A major breakthrough:

1. Regional Sustainable development -- Sustainable management technology of alpine grassland ecosystem

2. Modernization of Tibetan medicine -- Heavy metal safety evaluation technology

Key cultivation directions:

1. Evolutionary mechanisms of plateau adaptation and molecular breeding

2. Sustainable utilization of characteristic biological resources

3. Response of Alpine grassland to global climate change