02/10/2025
When Nikon BioImaging Lab chose to establish a presence at Babraham Research Campus, it wasn’t just about finding lab space. It was about becoming part of a thriving community of innovators, where access to expertise, facilities, and collaboration opportunities creates an environment for science to flourish.
Punching Above Their Weight
The Nikon BioImaging Lab provides microscope-based imaging and analysis services to the biotech, pharma, and larger research communities. With direct access to Nikon’s wider resources – including hardware, expertise, and global infrastructure – the team can create bespoke imaging solutions that most startups or even large pharma companies could never justify investing in for short-term projects.
This means Babraham-based companies can access cutting-edge, customised imaging approaches without the cost or delay of buying new equipment. As one example, Nikon has supported startups in generating crucial early-stage data within days – helping them strengthen grant applications, prepare posters for conferences, or move to the next stage of funding. For young companies facing the “chicken-and-egg” problem of needing data before they can secure investment, that kind of support is game-changing.
As well as providing imaging and analysis, the Nikon BioImaging Lab uses their expertise in assay development to support companies with experimental design, making them a perfect fit for Babraham Research Campus LiveLabs “What you see in our lab is just the starting point – we can pull in resources from Nikon globally to create bespoke solutions to solve challenging problems in imaging, analysis, and assay development,” explains Joseph, who leads the Nikon BioImaging Lab at Babraham. “That means even the smallest startup can access world-class imaging without the cost or delay of building it themselves. It’s about enabling them to move faster and achieve more.”
Powered by Collaboration
The Campus environment allows Nikon to go beyond providing microscopes. Their team works with tenants to tailor experiments, apply advanced software to maximise outputs, and even develop new ways of capturing data. In partnership with Babraham’s LiveLabs, Nikon can extend its support further – whether it’s tissue culture, experiment setup, or specialist analysis – enabling a small team to deliver big results.
Nikon also has close ties to the Babraham Institute, where shared expertise and access to complementary equipment strengthen the value they can offer. This collaborative ecosystem ensures that companies on Campus don’t just gain access to instruments, but to a network of know-how that accelerates discovery.
A Natural Home for Innovation
For Nikon, Babraham was the obvious choice. Cambridge is one of the most dynamic life science hubs in the world, and the Campus is at the heart of it – combining world-class science with a supportive, collaborative community. LiveLabs, in particular, provided the flexible environment Nikon needed to expand its services into wider areas of biology, without the overheads of setting up everything in-house.
This synergy works both ways: while startups benefit from Nikon’s global imaging expertise, Nikon benefits from being embedded in a community of ambitious young companies, learning what they need and evolving their services to deliver maximum impact.
Looking Ahead
Nikon’s journey at Babraham is just beginning. With plans to expand its services, connect into a growing European network of Nikon BioImaging Labs, and launch new initiatives to support early-stage companies, the team is committed to helping science-based ventures accelerate their progress.
By being at Babraham, Nikon isn’t just providing imaging technology – they are part of a unique ecosystem where startups and established companies alike can access world-class expertise, share ideas, and build the foundations of future breakthroughs.