Programme Overview

The Babraham Institute arranges a broad range of outreach activities to discuss our research portfolio and communicate the significance of our discoveries on human health. Committed to dialogue with society, our communication strategy aims to reach a wide range of public audiences and provide a forum for dialogue between researchers and our stakeholders, to ensure that the benefits of biomedical research are translated into innovations that will improve the quality of life, global healthcare and benefit society.

The latest technologies are used by our researchers to study the biological events underlying the normal functions of cells during development and ageing, and to understand how the failure or abnormality of cellular processes can lead to disease. Breakthroughs have increased understanding of medical conditions like hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure, infertility, cancer and bipolar disorders. This work will hopefully lead to new treatments for these conditions and cures for conditions where there is currently no treatment or where the existing treatment is not fully effective or causes serious side effects. We also seek to understand better the societal context for our work and to actively and constructively engage with those who have concerns about either the ethical issues or technological implications surrounding our work.

Our active ‘Science in Schools’ programme is designed to enthuse young people about science and to encourage them to follow careers in science. We have steadily increased the number and depth of our interactions with schools and now contribute to the science curriculum at all levels, from pre-school to 6th form, with 2007 seeing the launch of Babraham’s one-week Bioscience Boot Camp for 6th formers.


Institute scientists, staff and PhD students are encouraged to participate in outreach events, discussing their research and the implications that scientific advances hold for society. We also organise events designed to bring the scientific community closer to new public audiences, providing new opportunities for dialogue and exchange of ideas between the various constituents of society. Our relationships with the media have also become more professional and substantial.


As an independent life sciences research organisation we can provide information and advice on a wide range of scientific topics from our expert scientists. The Babraham Institute looks forward to exploring new ways of partnering with its local and regional communities to build stronger and more productive links between science and society.

Further information is available from

Dr Claire Cockcroft
(Head, External Relations)
01223 496260
Contact by email