The Babraham Institute is an independent research institute conducting internationally recognised research in basic cell and molecular biology with a focus upon the study of lifelong health and wellbeing. One of eight institutes strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Babraham Institute is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Certain activities of the Charity must be approved by the Charity’s members. The Babraham Institute has three members: the BBSRC as a Corporate Member, the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Audit Committee.
The Babraham Institute Board of Trustees has specific responsibilities under the BBSRC Conditions of Grant. It is responsible for the financial management and administration of the Institute and ensures that the Charity is acting within its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Ultimately, the Board has responsibility for developing the strategy for the Institute alongside the Director, and oversees and reviews the management and achievements of the Institute.
The Board is now seeking to appoint new scientific and non-scientific Trustees to replace those who will be stepping down in the period 2023-24. Non-scientific Trustees will have substantial experience of management and leadership in professional services, including specifically in finance and in HR policy and strategy. The Institute is also looking to appoint Trustees in relevant scientific disciplines, including epigenetics. In addition to supporting the Director as an independent voice, the Board will provide an appropriate balance of complementarity and challenge, together with new perspectives. Trustees will have both the relevant expertise and the leadership skills to work with the Director to steer the Institute and the personal gravitas to be able to act as a positive ambassador across a variety of situations.
The Babraham Institute evolved from the pre-existing Institute of Animal Physiology, established during the immediate post-war years to study animal physiology with the aim of improving the efficiency of food production. In 1993, the Babraham Institute phased out research on agricultural animals and its major focus shifted to understanding the biology underpinning development and lifelong health.
The Institute has a history of research excellence including the pivotal discoveries of liposomes in the 1960s, and of genomic imprinting in mammals in the 1980s. Pioneering work in the 1980s and 1990s on PI3-kinase enzymes and signalling pathways and its continuation at the Institute today has led to long-term commercial collaborations and global impact in terms of understanding cell growth and survival. This has included the development of the PI3K delta inhibitor drug Idelalisib (Zydelig) as a treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The discovery of global epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian development has resulted in new approaches to stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
There are approximately 360 staff working in the Institute, including 25 research group leaders.
The Institute holds a silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advancing the representation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and has its own equality and diversity programme to ensure an inclusive and diverse culture.
Today, the Institute continues to undertake cutting-edge research to push the boundaries of what we know about biology. Our three science specialisms work closely together, sharing expertise to support the delivery of BBSRC funded Institute Strategic Programmes (ISPs).
Epigenetics focuses on how reversible chemical modifications of our DNA and chromatin control access to the information stored within our genomes.
Signalling aims to understand the molecular and systems levels principles by which cells and organisms sense and adapt to challenges such as
nutrient shortage or excess, infection, ageing and damage. Current work builds on long-term strengths in PI3K, protein kinases and phosphatases, and autophagy whilst recent recruitment to the programme extends expertise in protein homeostasis.
Immunology investigates how cells of the immune system develop and function, allowing us to resist infection and maintain homeostasis throughout life. The work underpins important practical applications in maintaining lifelong health.
Between April 2017 and March 2022, the Institute published over 540 articles with over 20,100 citations. Alongside our internationally recognised research, the Institute maintains eight cuttingedge scientific facilities (bioinformatics, animal unit, flow cytometry, imaging, mass spectrometry, genomics, biological chemistry and gene targeting). In addition to supporting the Institute’s research, these are made available to companies on the Babraham Research Campus and the external research community.
The Institute’s annual income in 2021 was £25.8M. Around a third of this (£9.6M) came from BBSRC as core ISP grants and non-grant income. £5.1M came from competitively awarded grants, and commercial use of the Institute’s facilities and services provided around £7M.
The Institute’s research, expertise and facilities aim to achieve the following outcomes:
n To advance knowledge of biology in order to secure and maintain health throughout life;
n To make discoveries that improve the quality of life for people around the world;
n To develop innovative research technologies that advance the field and provide new insights;
n To build on our foundational research by working with others to secure translation of our discoveries;
n To provide excellent training for existing and future researchers, addressing the demand for skilled researchers in the bioscience sectors and respecting equality and diversity in all our activities;
n To share our expertise with relevant stakeholders, including academia, industry and policymakers, to ensure that policies and healthcare practices are developed using the latest scientific findings; and
n To develop a two-way relationship with the public, being open and transparent about our research by engaging people of all ages and backgrounds in order to align societal expectations with the process and outcomes of scientific research.
The Institute is an active part of the Cambridge bioscience cluster, formed by the concentration of world-leading research institutes such as the University of Cambridge, Wellcome Sanger Institute and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus based around Addenbrooke’s Hospital,
global pharma (AstraZeneca, GSK and Pfizer) and a diverse range of smaller pharmaceutical and medical biotech companies. Within Europe, the Institute is part of the EU-LIFE alliance of 15 research centres that work together to strengthen European research excellence.
The Babraham Institute is committed to promoting the translation of research via national and international collaborations with academics, clinicians and industry. A distinct organisation, Babraham Institute Enterprises Ltd. (BIE), exists to support the delivery of commercialisation of the Institute’s science through managing the Institute’s intellectual property, facilitating interactions between Institute researchers and industry, and arranging access to the Institute’s scientific expertise and facilities. BIE and the Institute currently work with over 77 industry partners including both large pharmaceutical companies and smaller and medium sized biotechs, many of which are located on the Babraham Research Campus (BRC).
Babraham Institute is located within the BRC alongside over 60 commercial companies. The campus has flourished since being established as a bioincubator model founded by the Institute in 1998 and has received significant investment from the BBSRC over the course of its development. Recognised as a world-leading bioincubator site, the campus is now managed and developed by Babraham Research Campus Ltd. (BRC Ltd.) and promotes innovation across the academic and commercial sectors. BRC Ltd. is the majority owned (75%) subsidiary company of the Institute while the BBSRC is the landlord and 25% shareholder. The campus
provides bespoke accommodation for bioventures at any stage in the business development cycle and supports the full spectrum of science from R&D to commercial realisation. The Institute operates an active programme of knowledge exchange with a particular focus on developing relationships with campus companies.
The Babraham Institute Board of Trustees is responsible for the management and administration of the Institute’s income and expenditure, assets and liabilities, for the terms and conditions of employment for new staff as well as for the conduct of the Institute’s affairs in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association and charitable status. It is also responsible for satisfying the BBSRC’s Conditions of Grant as set out in the Institute Grant Agreement.
The Institute Board comprises the Chair and at least six Trustees/Directors (currently nine). The Board meets five times a year. Trustee/Directors will normally serve for three years with a further three years if agreed by the Board.
The Board has responsibility for: n working with the Director on the development, approval and implementation of the long-term vision for the Institute;
n supporting the Director in the furthering of the Institute’s mission, aims and objectives;
n monitoring the Institute’s performance, management and administration;
n administering and being accountable for Institute funds in accordance with BBSRC Conditions of Grant and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements;
n reviewing and monitoring the quality and relevance of the Institute’s work;
n ensuring an appropriate balance and synergy between the core, strategic and other research programmes; and n ensuring risks are properly managed.
The Board may establish subcommittees and as a minimum will maintain a Science and Impact Advisory Committee (SIAC) and a Joint Audit Committee.
The Science and Impact Advisory Committee provides advice and guidance to the Board on all aspects of the Institute’s science programme, including helping to plan future research activities, assessing progress, and identifying new opportunities. SIAC is made up of eminent scientists with expertise in areas of science relevant to those of the Institute. The Chair of SIAC also sits as a Trustee on the main Board.
The Joint Audit Committee assists the Board in overseeing financial and risk management, treasury management, statutory and management accounts and internal/external audit of the Babraham Group. It acts as a quasifinance committee in addition to its conventional audit role. One of the new Trustees will become Chair of the Joint Audit Committee. The Chair of the Joint Audit Committee is also a Member of the Institute.
Day-to-day management of the Institute is the responsibility of the Director, supported by the two additional Institute Strategic Programme (ISP) Leaders and the Chief Operating Officer.
The Strategy Group, which includes the Director, the ISP Leaders, the Head of Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation, and the Group Finance Director/Operations Director, meets at regular intervals. This is the central management committee for the Institute, overseeing strategic planning and management of the science and the site.
To complement this group the Babraham Executive Committee (BEC) meets on a monthly basis to monitor operational and business performance, and to ensure scientific activities across the campus are appropriately supported and resourced. This expanded committee includes senior scientists, and operational and corporate service heads. Its remit includes consideration of:
n Operations n Finance n Campus n Human Resources (including recruitment) n Knowledge management n Biological Support Unit (BSU) n Engineering n Security
n Knowledge Exchange & Commercialisation (KEC) n Health & Safety n Graduate & Post Doctorate education n Grant & Fellowship applications n Internal & external communications n Stakeholder relations
BBSRC’s vision is to advance the frontiers of biology and drive towards a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future.
In 2021-22, BBSRC invested £426.7M in world-class bioscience. BBSRC funding supports around 1,600 scientists and 2,000 research students in universities and institutes across the UK.
BBSRC’s mission is to: n promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and postgraduate training relating to the understanding and exploitation of biological systems; n advance knowledge and technology (including the promotion and support of the exploitation of research outcomes);
n provide trained scientists and engineers, which meet the needs of users and beneficiaries (including the agriculture, bioprocessing, chemical, food, healthcare, pharmaceutical and other biotechnological related industries).
BBSRC is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, investing over £8 billion a year. Formed in 2018, UKRI brings
together nine Councils (seven Research Councils, Research England and Innovate UK), covering all sectors and disciplines and working with academia, business, public sector, third sector, and international partners to create knowledge with impact.
The Babraham Institute Board of Trustees works closely with the Director to lead the Institute. The Board has collective responsibility for ensuring the Institute achieves its strategic objectives and holds overall responsibility for its direction and management.
Candidates must demonstrate relevant experience in the following areas:
n experience as a non-executive of a significant body with a full understanding of the legal duties and responsibilities of Trustee Directors;
n sound appreciation of the role of research through knowledge transfer into innovative applications, technologies and policies. Knowledge of the research funding environment in the UK would be beneficial; n empathy towards and understanding of the mission and goals of the Institute, together with the ability and commitment to promote it to a variety of different stakeholders across the private and public sectors;
n demonstrate the highest level of personal and professional integrity, independence of mind and impartiality;
n ability to give the required time, energy and dedication;
n for scientific Trustees, new members of the Board will be leading scientists of exceptional international calibre in a relevant scientific discipline;
Governance
n able to assist the Institute Director and optimise their varying skills sets and experience, having a full appreciation of the proper separation between governance and executive management;
n maintain effective relationships with the Corporate Member and sponsors;
n oversee and, where appropriate, participate in the effective input and impact of sub committees;
implementation of the strategic vision for the Institute; able to provide oversight and challenge whilst working in a spirit of cooperation;
Organisational and Financial Management
n have a sound understanding of efficient organisational management practices, with recognition of the importance of effective and pro-active human resource strategies;
n for one post: familiarity with current accounting and auditing standards gained at Board level in the public or private sector;
Leadership and Strategic Direction
n provide advice and guidance to the Director in the development and
n ideally, have a strong business orientation and a commercial understanding of the economics of research.
This is a part-time non-executive appointment which is unremunerated. Reasonable travel expenses associated with the role are reimbursed. It is anticipated that the time commitment will be between 8-10 days per annum including Board meetings. There will be five Board meetings per year. Board meetings are usually held at the Institute. There could also be the need to undertake some travel in the context of representational or other functions.
The appointment would be for an initial term of three years with the possibility of extension for a further three years.
The Babraham Institute is committed to promoting and developing a culture of excellence, diversity and mutual respect that supports the Institute’s ambitions and attracts highly motivated and talented people. The Babraham Institute is a Disability Confident Employer and has a positive approach to employing disabled people.
The Institute has engaged Perrett Laver to support the Board in this appointment and further information can be downloaded from their website at https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/ vacancies/, using reference number 6283.
For informal enquiries about the role please contact Dr Urvashi Ramphul Urvashi.Ramphul@PerrettLaver.com or +44 (0) 207 340 6280.
Applications should consist of a letter of application together with a curriculum vitae, and details (email and telephone) of two referees who may be consulted.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon GMT on Monday 30th January 2023. The full field of candidates will be subsequently reviewed by the Board. Dates for formal interviews will be confirmed in due course.
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Babraham Institute Babraham Research Campus Cambridge CB22 3AT UK www.babraham.ac.uk @BabrahamInst the-babraham-institute
The Babraham Institute Registered office: Babraham Hall, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3AT Registered in England and Wales No. 3011737 as a company limited by guarantee Registered Charity No. 1053902
The Babraham Institute receives core funding in strategic programme grants from the BBSRC.
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