WP 08/2009; The purpose of this paper is to analyse the public research organizations by a demographic approach. The research focuses on the biggest Italian public research body, considering personnel data of 2004. The results show the irregular spatial structure of the research personnel per macro regions as well as the average age of hiring and index of seniority over time, indicating older research personnel in North and Central Part of Italy than South Italy. This analysis displays the evolutionary change of the research personnel and provides vital information to policymakers in order to improve the future organizational behaviour of this main research institution