The Babraham Institute receives strategic funding from the BBSRC
The Babraham Institute receives strategic funding from the BBSRC
Press Releases
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Lectures and Events
Highlight Publications
Institute Publications
Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT), the commercial arm of the Babraham Institute, recently hosted the inaugural Cambridge BioAcademic Showcase, established to bring leading academic research institutions together with industry to explore research synergy and opportunities for future collaboration. The event showcased the research of 15 scientists from The Babraham Institute, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The MRC’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University and attracted over 100 delegates from the life sciences community.
Representatives from local and international companies including MedImmune, GSK, Abcam, Cellzome, Pfizer, Merck and biotech companies from the Babraham Campus gathered to hear the highlights from local researchers, which ranged from antibody therapies, novel biotherapeutics, genomic approaches to personalise cancer treatments and innovative approaches using stem cells for genetic screening. A number of investors also attended from Imperial Innovations and Corporate Venture groups.
The event was conceived to bring together potential partners from the different realms of the discovery process and increase early-stage collaboration between industry and academia. Rob Pinnock, Director Scientific Liaison at Merck, sponsors of the event, gave the keynote lecture outlining new approaches to enable Pharma to engage effectively with the academic research base. He explained, "At Merck/MSD we recognise the critical role of academic and biotech scientists in biomedical discovery. Events such as the BioAcademic Showcase provide an important forum to enable dialogue and cultivate scientific exchange as we seek to identify collaborators with whom we can combine our strengths and share our successes."
Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of External Relations at ideaSpace in Cambridge, added, “We are seeing relationships forged earlier and earlier in the development life cycle between industry and academia and the BioAcademic Showcase provided an ideal forum for bringing the key players together. I am optimistic this event will make a valuable contribution to catalysing such relationships with the ultimate vision of creating some new and innovative early-stage ventures in the biomedical sector.”
David Davison, Director of Corporate Services at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said, “The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute was delighted to be part of the first Bio-Academic Showcase. It was an ideal opportunity to meet with fellow researchers and colleagues from the pharmaceutical and biotech industry to discuss the latest discoveries from human and pathogen genomes. We hope this will help drive forward the translation of our innovative research and technologies into resources that will have the greatest impact in improving human health.”
Dr Klaus Okkenhaug, one of Babraham’s Group Leaders whose research has identified potential
non-immunosuppressive cancer therapies, said, ”The event succeeded in showcasing some of the most exciting and innovative biomedical research going on the Cambridge area and provided opportunities to meet with company executives in an informal environment.”
As a leading hub of life sciences innovation in the UK, the Babraham Research Campus plays a key role supporting the region’s early-stage biomedical enterprises and helping to attract inward investment. While known for its Biotechnology Investment Forum, aimed at early-stage companies seeking investment, BBT’s latest pioneering event was designed to bring early-stage academic research with commercialisation potential to the attention of industry to foster knowledge exchange between academia and industry as well as within academia.
Derek Jones, BBT’s CEO said, “The BioAcademic Showcase was an ideal forum to bring together academia and industry to better understand each others’ needs and to help identify research areas that are of greatest interest and present an opportunity for commercialisation. Feedback from delegates demonstrates that this first Showcase was successful in its aims so we will be planning further ‘show and tell’ opportunities with our partner organisations.”
A unique aspect of the Babraham Campus is the proximity of a world-leading academic institute with commercial ventures, potentially facilitating the translation of ideas emanating from basic bioscience research into industry. “This event is part of our campus’ wider communications strategy to strengthen links between academia and industry, to explore research synergy and foster knowledge exchange,” explained Dr Claire Cockcroft, Head of External Relations at the Babraham Institute, which receives strategic support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
“This event follows the launch last month of our Campus Knowledge Exchange Forum, aimed specifically at bringing our institute scientists together with campus-based companies to explore potential collaborative avenues. These events have catalysed many new conversations and an application by a Babraham scientist and campus company to BBSRC’s Industry Interchange Scheme, which supports short-term exchanges between the UK science base and industry.”
Contact details:
Dr Claire Cockcroft
Head, External Relations
Email: claire.cockcroft@babraham.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496260
Mobile: +44 (0)7786 335978
The Babraham Institute
Babraham Research Campus
Cambridge CB22 3AT
United Kingdom
Notes to Editors:
Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd.
Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd is the commercial arm of the Babraham Institute, an institute which receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) devoted to life sciences research. BBT promotes, supports and encourages academic and commercial biomedical research locally, regionally and nationally. BBT delivers the Knowledge Exchange remit of the Institute and is responsible for managing the Babraham Research Campus’ Bioincubator, currently home to around 30 early-stage biomedical companies. BBT brings together all the elements to support innovation and enable the successful exploitation of research in the biomedical sector based on technologies emanating from the Babraham Institute and bioventures relocating to the campus. BBT has taken a prominent role regionally, initiating and leading partnerships to promote knowledge and skills flow and has established a reputation for successfully translating innovative science into viable business opportunities through partnerships for wealth creation. Website: www.babraham.com
The Babraham Institute
The Babraham Institute, which receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), undertakes international quality life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. The institute received £22.4M investment from BBSRC in 2010-11.The Institute’s research provides greater understanding of the biological events that underlie the normal functions of cells and the implication of failure or abnormalities in these processes. Research focuses on signalling and genome regulation, particularly the interplay between the two and how epigenetic signals can influence important physiological adaptations during the lifespan of an organism. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and healthier ageing. (www.babraham.ac.uk)
About BBSRC
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.
Funded by Government, and with an annual budget of around £445M, we support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact see: www.bbsrc.ac.uk
For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes see: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/institutes
Babraham Institute - Babraham Research Campus - Cambridge - United Kingdom