Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation

The Babraham Institute undertakes innovative life-sciences research to discover the molecular mechanisms that underlie normal cellular processes and functions, with the aim of improving lifelong wellbeing and healthier aging.  Our work is sponsored by strategic funding from the BBSRC with additional competitively-won grant income from other research council and charities, together with commercial research collaborations.  The Institute aims to maximise the impact of its research through knowledge exchange and commercialisation, and our scientists work with external organisations to translate that research into action for social and economic benefit. 

The Institute is assisted in the translation of its research by Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd, its wholly-owned trading subsidiary.  BBT as well as undertaking trading activities on behalf of the Institute, actively manages the Institute’s patent portfolio, which in recent years has generated income in excess of expenditure, and facilitates interactions between the Institute and commercial organisations. 

The Institute interacts with industry in a number of different ways including  undertaking collaborative research projects with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, CASE PhD Studentships, providing access to  research expertise through consultancies and equipment use, and the provision of materials and reagents.  The Institute and BBT are keen to increase interactions with SMEs and early-stage ventures, including those on the Babraham Research Campus, to establish knowledge exchange partnerships. 

Details of research translation activities since 2006 through commercial collaborations by Institute scientists are listed here.  Web pages outlining how each of our Laboratories is currently working towards translation of research findings can be found by following these links:

Epigenetics ISP
Nuclear Dynamics ISP
Lymphocyte Signalling & Development ISP
Signalling ISP

In addition to the direct benefits being derived from our research findings in the long term, the Institute, its research and facilities form the cornerstone of the knowledge-driven Babraham Research Campus.  The Babraham Research Campus is a co-location of early stage commercial bioventures, with at its heart the academic research undertaken by the Babraham Institute  and  is a rapidly-expanding economic success for the Cambridge region and nationally.  A significant proportion of the companies on the campus today interact with Institute science through studentships, collaborative research projects, consultancies and by accessing the Institute’s scientific facilities and services.

BBT has also established a dedicated Technology Development Laboratory, providing chemistry and molecular biology facilities which are available to the community, and are used to promote the translation of Institute and third-party technology.  Importantly for the Institute, this serves to partition the different requirements for the further development of technologies for translation from those which drive science discovery in the research programmes.  BBT uses this facility to exemplify and mature Institute intellectual property. 

For further information on the Institute’s KEC activities please contact:

Dr. Katy Evans-Roberts - Contact by email
Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation Manager