Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health

Babraham Institute

Contents

Welcome 2 About Babraham 4 Research Excellence 6 Training & Education 8 Science & Society 10 Knowledge Exchange & Commercialisation 12 Find out more 13

Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health | 1 Welcome

Professor Michael Wakelam I am very pleased to welcome you to the and contribution to public engagement (page 10). Our Babraham Institute – a centre of research exhibitions, site visits and public debates help to inform excellence in the biosciences, promoting wider groups about the research of the institute and also enthuse audiences about science and science-based lifelong health. careers. Perhaps more importantly, these activities provide opportunities for researchers to be reflective about issues As a publically funded Institute, our excellent research raised by their research. is central to the goals of our strategic funding body, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Our scientists are making major advances in understanding (BBSRC). In particular our research is driving advances to how our cells, organs and bodies are maintained throughout help maintain lifelong health. life and how this declines with age and in some age-related diseases. As lifespan continues to extend and the population In the following pages, you will learn more about the increases, our research is needed more than ever to help Babraham Institute, its beautiful setting in south Cambridge understand ageing. In addition, we work to translate basic and the importance of its role (and that of its subsidiary research through collaborations with clinicians and industry companies) in the expanding and developing Babraham to help in developing new medicines. Our Knowledge Research Campus. The campus environment and shared Exchange and Commercialisation programme facilitates facilities together with its proximity to the University of this process (page 12) and in doing so, highlights the many Cambridge make the Babraham Institute the ideal place for opportunities and benefits that comes from continued collaboration and innovation. support of our bioscience research. Moving forward I am certain that the Babraham Institute will continue to play a Our science activities are outlined briefly to introduce our pivotal role in major discoveries that promote lifelong health. four key research programmes and core facilities. We also highlight our excellent training and education activities that allow us to continue to attract and retain the best PhD students, post-doctoral scientists and staff across all parts of the Institute.

I am proud to say that our research excellence is reflected not solely in the standing of our scientists in the International Professor Michael Wakelam research community, but also through our commitment Institute Director

2 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health Babraham has over 65 years history as a scientific institute. It was founded in 1948 as the Institute of Animal Physiology. Whilst the role, remit and focus of the Institute may have changed over the years, the pursuit of excellence in scientific research and training has remained a major priority.

Babraham Hall Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health | 3 About Babraham Institute

As a world-leading research allows the Institute and its scientists Funding centre in bioscience, the to have close links with industry, The Babraham Institute is an Babraham Institute’s defining academia and medical charities. independent charitable life sciences purpose is to carry out organisation (charity registration Also on the Campus are the Institute’s number 1053902) pioneering research at the two subsidiary companies: Babraham cellular and molecular level Institute Enterprise Ltd (BIE) (wholly Our work is recognised as world- leading and is supported by strategic to understand the biological owned); and Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd (75% shareholding). funding from the Biotechnology and processes underpinning Biological Sciences Research Council lifelong health and wellbeing. Purpose-built accommodation is (BBSRC) who fund our four areas of available for visitors and staff on the research, also referred to as Institute Our research focuses on signal campus; amenities include a nursery Strategic Programmes (ISPs). transduction and genome regulation and sports and social club. (particularly the interplay between The Institute receives additional the two), how they maintain health Babraham Institute Enterprise funding from other bodies including and how, over lifetime, their failure or manages the Institute’s trading and the Medical Research Council, abnormality may contribute to ageing commercialisation activities. Babraham Wellcome Trust, and the European and age-related conditions. Bioscience Technologies (BBT) is the Union. Funding is also awarded company that manages and develops through research collaborations with Location the Babraham Research Campus, industry and medical charities. The Babraham Institute is situated supporting and promoting the regional within the Babraham Research Campus and UK bioscience ecosystem. It has (see image opposite). The campus responsibility for the administration is unique in the co-location of the and commercial development of the Institute, 50 bioscience companies site for the benefit of all the tenants and access to outstanding scientific including the Babraham Institute. facilities. Also noteworthy, is its ideal geographical location at the core of the Cambridge science cluster, which

4 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health Babraham Institute: Aerial view

People focused roles to opportunities to work The development of Our science is carried out by in corporate, administrate and support internationally renowned scientists service positions. monoclonal antibodies to who lead research groups of Senior which Babraham made a Babraham Institute offers a dynamic Research Associates, Postdoctoral major contribution through Research Scientists, support staff, PhD and diverse place of employment and students and visiting researchers. provides opportunities for training and early stage research, has career development to attract, develop improved the treatment of There are over 300 employees at and retain the very best scientists, the Babraham Institute and perhaps Research Fellows and staff. cancer, inflammatory and surprisingly, not all are scientists. autoimmune disease. Although the majority of staff work in research laboratories, careers also range from technical and engineering

LifeLife Sciences Sciences Research Research for LifelongforLifelong Health Health | 5 | 5 Research Excellence

The Institute has a tradition of Our four key research Over the last 20 years sustained excellence and innovation areas are: in the biosciences. Our research our research has led to • Signalling. We carry out aims to understand the biological research on the biochemical signals major advances in our mechanisms that control normal generated inside cells in response development and maintain health knowledge. These have to environmental cues; how they are through to old age. regulated and how they control cell included understanding behavior. Past Signalling work at the Two overarching themes are central the role and regulation of Institute discovered liposomes, now to our research: cell signalling – how the PI-3-Kinase signalling routinely saving the lives of our cells respond to cues from their premature babies and forming pathway and unraveling external environment; and epigenetics the basis of many drug delivery – how the information encoded within role, nature and systems. Current work is revealing our genome is accessed through why our brains deteriorate with age mechanism of epigenetic changes in the chemical modification and investigates the ‘5 plus 2’ diet to of our DNA or through chromatin gene control. These, identify strategies that may help us structure and modifications. These and other advances, live longer and healthier lives. themes are central to the healthy have generated many lifespan of every organism from • Lymphocyte Signalling and conception through to old age as they Development. We investigate how leading research papers coordinate how our cells and organs cells of the immune system develop but have also paved the respond to developmental cues and and function, allowing us to fight environmental change. infections and disease throughout way for translation and our life. In the past our experience of commercial development monoclonal antibody development has led to new tools for academic of our research (page 12). research and underpinned the development of new drugs for the treatment of arthritis and cancer. Current work includes seeking to understand why the function of our immune system declines with age.

6 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health • Epigenetics. We seek to understand • Nuclear Dynamics. Our aim is to Excellence is also demonstrated in the basic mechanisms of epigenetic create an integrated understanding the world-class scientific facilities and gene control - how reversible of the mechanisms that control our services of the Babraham Research chemical modifications of our DNA genomes including genetic, Campus. These include: can control access to the information epigenetic, biochemical and • Bioinformatics stored within our genomes. These structural factors that together • New Generation Sequencing chemical modifications or epigenetic regulate genome function. We marks help to define the different focus our studies on embryonic and • Flow Cytometry types of cells in our bodies and can adult stem cell systems that interface • Imaging be influenced by environmental or and interact with the environment • Lipidomics nutritional factors, particularly those to promote and maintain health • Mass Spectrometry encountered early in life. Epigenetic throughout the lifespan. information in our bodies degrades • Small animal facilities during the ageing process together Much of this work employs genetically- with declining function of organ modified rodents (mice and rats) which More details about our science and our systems. allow us to build a more sophisticated facilities can be found in our scientific understanding of how specific genes booklet entitled ‘Commercialising the control cell and organ function to Science of the Babraham Institute’. maintain the health of the whole organism.

LifeLife Sciences Sciences Research Research for LifelongforLifelong Health Health | 7 | 7 Training and Education

The Babraham Institute has the status of a • Mentoring and support at all levels for individuals recognised postgraduate institution within in making career choices including applications for the University of Cambridge; all our students personal fellowships are registered within the Faculty of Biology for • All Senior Research Associates contribute to the Institute’s in-house Advanced Research Training Scheme their PhD degrees and our Group Leaders are fully recognised University supervisors.

The excellence of our scientists and facility staff is critical “I work at the Babraham Institute carrying for the overall success of the Institute and for future out research on the epigenetic changes research discoveries. We therefore ensure that our research that occur in the ageing heart. Since environment and opportunities for training and career development serve to attract, develop and retain the very joining the Institute, I have developed best staff, students and scientists. lots of transferable skills as well as

Opportunities include: been involved in cutting edge research. • Continued Professional Development for all staff including In addition, I have attended numerous public engagement and communication training in conferences and symposia across the UK, addition to training in new emerging techniques where I have been selected to give poster • Scientists are encouraged to regularly present their research at national and international conferences presentations and given the opportunity • A first-class Graduate Training Programme that provides to discuss my research with experts in the career advice and develops transferable skills field from all over the world.’’ • Each PhD student has a ‘personal committee’ which supports them through their studies Emma Louise Robinson (Babraham Institute PhD student)

8 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health Flow Cytometry Training Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health | 9 Science and Society

We aim to engage the public in Embedded within research, Our Annual Schools Day our Public Engagement dialogue about science to create a programme brings scientists better understanding and appreciation has been running since of the research carried out at the 1994. This event aims to closer to society both to Institute. Our scientists and staff demonstrate the relevance of are involved in schools and public enthuse young people their work and to allow them engagement activities throughout about bioscience and the year. They bring research to life to listen, understand and inspire them to pursue value the societal context of by talking about their experiences, demonstrating experiments and scientific careers. In their research and anticipate explaining often complex science addition to the 20 different its social implications. in understandable ways. Activities include: lab-based projects on • Science and career talks and offer, we also aim to outreach activities stimulate discussion • Annual schools day and open campus event around some of the • Listening to public views through ethical issues confronting public debates scientists doing bioscience • Use of social media and on-line research. engagement tools • Exhibitions and festivals to demonstrate scientific concepts • Media and press activity

Demonstrating chromatography

10 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health Cambridge Science Festival Conference on Ageing

‘Ethics in research’ workshop Babraham networking event

Babraham Institute Schools’ Day Epigenetics debate Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health | 11 Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation

The Babraham Institute’s Activities include: Crescendo Biologics Ltd Knowledge Exchange and • Knowledge Exchange events - was spun-out of the Commercialisation (KEC) two-way dialogue between external programme aims to maximise partners and stakeholders Babraham Institute in individuals, businesses, public the impact and translation of organisations and other sector 2008. The company is knowledge generated by and bodies created through workshops, focused on developing held within the Institute. seminars and networking fragments of antibodies as • Consultancy and scientific research potential therapeutics. In Our KEC programme is designed to activities facilitate two-way flow of knowledge • Collaboration – projects with the December 2013 Crescendo between Babraham Institute scientists Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical raised £17.5M in investment and external partners and stakeholders. sectors as well as with clinicians at funding. The company is It is our aim to engage with individuals, both Addenbrookes and Papworth businesses, public and other sector hospitals. based on the Babraham bodies through a variety of channels • Training - in central support Research Campus, and to maximise the societal and ecomonic services (listed previously) is available impact of our science. continues to collaborate to Campus Bioincubator tenant companies and the external research with Babraham Institute In addition we aim to use our expertise community to inform policy direction and scientists. understanding of science by policy makers, industrialists and clinicians at home and abroad.

12 | Life Sciences Research for Lifelong Health Find out more

Research Excellence More details about our science can be found in ‘Commercialising the Science of the Babraham Institute’ booklet Training & Education Please see our website (www.babraham.ac.uk) and the BBSRC website for latest vacancies and further details Science and Society Please email [email protected] if you would like to find out more about our public engagement activities Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation For further information on working with the Babraham Institute please contact: Dr Katy Evans-Roberts Linden Smith Commercialisation Manager Knowledge Exchange Manager [email protected] [email protected] +44 (0)1223 496208 +44 (0)1223 496260

Tel: +44 (0)1223 496000 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BabrahamInst The Babraham Institute Registered Office: Babraham Hall, Babraham, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3AT Registered in England and Wales No. 3011737 as a company limited by guarantee Registered Charity No. 1053902