20/05/2013
The Babraham Institute has announced the formation of a new wholly-owned trading arm, Babraham Commercialisation Services Ltd (BCS), to support its Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation (KEC) activities.
Babraham’s KEC Programme aims to maximise the social and economic benefits of its biological research by building links with other researchers, research charities, clinicians, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, policy makers and the public. Many of the academics at the Babraham Institute, which receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), collaborate with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies through shared research projects, consultancy or providing access to scientific facilities and services.
The Babraham Institute’s research has resulted in the development of several innovative new technologies, such as those that were spun out of the Institute to form Crescendo Biologics Ltd. BCS will now be responsible for managing and commercialising the intellectual property portfolio of the Institute, as well as facilitating its interactions with industry, and will be led in these activities by Dr Katy Evans-Roberts, Commercialisation Manager.
This reorganisation will also allow Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd (BBT) to focus on the development of the Babraham Research Campus, a thriving community at the heart of the Cambridge cluster which is now home to around 45 biomedical companies. The campus is currently expanding as a result of the £44 million BBSRC project announced by Government in 2011 - an investment in capital infrastructure to support bioscience innovation. The campus’ new chemistry-focused building, which opened last month and is now 80% occupied, provides 16,000 sq ft of lettable space to companies including Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the cancer-focused technology development and commercialisation arm of Cancer Research UK.
Contact details: The Knowledge Exchange Office Email: kec@babraham.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)1223 496206
The Babraham Institute Babraham Research Campus Cambridge CB22 3AT United Kingdom Notes to Editors: About the Babraham Institute: The Babraham Institute undertakes world-class life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Our research focuses on cellular signalling, gene regulation and the impact of epigenetic regulation at different stages of life. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and support healthier ageing. The Institute is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, through an Institute Core Capability Grant and also receives funding from other UK research councils, charitable foundations, the EU and medical charities. Website: www.babraham.ac.uk The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around £450 million in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life for UK citizens and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders including the agriculture, food, chemical, health and well-being and pharmaceutical sectors. BBSRC carries out its mission by funding internationally competitive research, providing training in the biosciences, fostering opportunities for knowledge transfer and innovation and promoting interaction with the public and other stakeholders on issues of scientific interest in universities, centres and institutes. Website: bbsrc.ukri.org/
20 May 2013