Science to Business

In order to see a good return on investment made by research councils, industries and charities, the Babraham Institute actively encourages Knowledge Transfer within its science base. Where the knowledge generated from the Institute’s research has potential for application, our scientists work with clinicians or with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to translate the research for social and economic benefit. This process is managed by Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd. (BBT), the Institute’s wholly-owned trading subsidiary. The Institute forms the cornerstone of the developing Babraham Research Campus which is home to some 30 start-up and growing bioscience companies.

Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd (BBT), the wholly-owned trading subsidiary of the Babraham Institute, promotes knowledge transfer and translation of the Institute’s research discoveries. BBT actively manages and exploits the Institute’s intellectual property, promoting and negotiating commercial research partnerships and establishing spin-out companies when appropriate. Commercial exploitation of the resulting opportunities generates revenues which can be fed back into the Institute.

There are currently 25 patents in the Institute's paten portfolio, which fall broadly into the following categories:

• Therapeutic targets
• Diagnostic and discovery tools
• Stem cell technologies
• Technologies for the production of antibodies from transgenic mice

BBT has established a dedicated Technology Development Laboratory to promote the translation of Institute and third-party technology into investment ready propositions. 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. This is currently exemplified by a potential lead compound, an anti-angiogenesis molecule, which is under development in the Technology Development Laboratory. This family of molecules could be linked with other Institute technology in the angiogenesis field and may well represent the next spin-out in the Babraham pipeline.

In addition to its Knowledge Transfer activities, BBT manages all commercial activities on the Babraham Research Campus. This includes provision of technical and administrative services through Babraham Technix, the Babraham Bioincubator, The Technology Development Lab and development of the Babraham Research Campus itself.

Babraham Research Campus is being developed by BBT and the Institute to create a knowledge-driven campus to promote innovation across the academic and commercial divide and become one of the leading centres for bioscience innovation in the UK. Currently some 30 start-up and growing bioscience companies reside on the Campus, which is set in an attractive and extensive parkland, woodland and riverside environment.

For more information about BBT, the Bioincubator, and the BioConcepts programme see www.babraham.com.

BBT 2008 (PDF 1Mb)