Two specialist biotech firms are going for growth after a successful incubation period.

Oxford Ancestors and Oxford Gene Technology have outgrown their current bases at the Oxford BioBusiness Centre, in Littlemore, and have moved to new, larger premises.

Both have created jobs and their successful expansion has created room for other companies in the centre to expand.

Oxford Ancestors has developed on the back of pioneering gene technology which allows people to trace their ancestors to early man.

It has now moved to a base that is twice the size of its old base in the BioBusiness Centre at the North Oxford Business Centre, in Kidlington. The firm now has 10 employees and hundreds of customers looking to use gene technology to help trace their ancestors.

Managing director Dr David Ashworth said: "We have grown ten-fold since starting in the laboratories of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at Oxford University."

Oxford Gene Technology, which has also adapted gene research commercially, has moved to the Cherwell Innovation Centre. Dr Peter Hotten, director of licensing and business development, said: "The centre enabled OGT to develop its operations from one member of staff in a small office, to more than 15 staff in 3,000 sq ft of mixed laboratory, engineering workshop and office space."

The companies are the first to 'graduate' from the BioBusiness centre. The centre offers specialist premises and services to early-stage biotechnology companies.

Dr David Baghurst, managing director of Oxfordshire BiotechNet, which manages the site, said: "We're proud of the dramatic growth achieved by Oxford Ancestors and Oxford Gene Technology Ltd during their time in the Oxford BioBusiness Centre."

The Oxford BioBusiness Centre opened in 1998 and can house up to 15 companies.

As a result of the moves, another firm in the centre, immunology products firm ProImmune is expanding. In just two years it has successfully commercialised more than 250 products.