Babraham Research Campus.

The Budget announcement of an extra £44 million funding for the Babraham Research Campus has been hailed as recognition of its “excellent research base”.

Professor Michael Wakelam, director of the Babraham Institute, said the money will enable it to build on its strengths in research and innovation.

“It will allow us to initiate further developments in infrastructure and facilities to support the life sciences industry in both the region and for the UK,” he said.

”It is further recognition by Government of the value of our excellent research base at Babraham and the invaluable support our facilities provide to emerging small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“The Babraham campus is distinct in that, through the proximity of a world-leading academic institute with commercial ventures, it more easily promotes the translation of ideas emanating from basic bioscience research.”

The extra funding for Babraham is part of a total of £100 million in additional capital investment for science.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said “This investment is a real boost to our world-class research base and life sciences industry and demonstrates further the Government’s commitment to science.

“It will create new businesses and improve existing ones, attract highly skilled scientists and technicians, and become a focus for international investment.”

The Babraham funds will be invested in infrastructure and capital development to attract an anchor tenant – and modernisation of existing facilities that are considered regional or national bioscience infrastructure.

The money will also be used to support SMEs from start-up through to emerging companies, and provide opportunities for visiting scientists to collaborate with researchers with the support of short-term accommodation on site.