In today’s challenging climate, technology transfer offices try new ways to increase the number of licenses executed and reduce the time from disclosure to license. Research tools (reagent) licenses are an area where many offices, including ours, can increase their efficiency and effectiveness in licensing. Unlike agreements for the software, medical devices, and therapeutics that make up much of our technology portfolio, research tools require little additional development, can be quickly commercialized, and generate revenue (albeit small when taken individually) in a short amount of time. One particular strategy Emory’s OTT has employed is the use of a “Master” reagent agreement with companies that license, sell, and distribute reagents such as antibodies, plasmids, and cell lines. This “Master” agreement covers all the general provisions that would be included in any license such as liability, reporting, diligence, and confidentiality, but none of the financial terms. These terms then apply to all subsequent reagents or tools transferred to the company. This practice allows the university and reagent company to negotiate these terms upfront and only once, thus removing the time and burden of revisiting these terms with each individual tool is licensed to the company. In our model, each research tool or
Continue readingAuthor: Linda Kesselring
The Immortal Life of Cell Line HMEC-1
Vascular endothelial cells line the inside of blood vessel walls throughout the circulatory system, forming an interface between flowing blood and the vessel wall. They are critical in processes such as inflammation, wound healing, new vessel formation, tumor metastases, and clotting. Despite their importance, however, research on endothelial cells has been limited due to difficulties in isolating and growing these cells, as well as to their limited life span. Dr. Thomas Lawley, a specialist in dermatology and dermatological immunity and former dean of Emory’s medical school, and his team, including members from Emory and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have made such research considerably easier with the creation of the first immortalized human microvasculature endothelial cell line. These cells, known as Human Microvascular Endothelial Cell Line-1 (HMEC-1), are derived from human foreskin and have great potential for endothelial cell research and drug development. The cells are easier to grow, heartier, and longer lived by adding a viral gene (in this case, from simian virus 40). All of these characteristics make the line highly valuable to researchers by enabling researchers to run experiments with a greater number of trials and produce larger amounts of data. The research into
Continue readingMaterial Sharing Made Simpler: New Outgoing MTA
The ability of investigators to share research materials is an integral part of successful collaborations. Contractually, institutions facilitate such sharing via the completion of material transfer agreements (MTAs), which memorialize the rights and restrictions of each party and allow the signing institutions to ensure that transfers are in compliance with standing legal obligations. Unfortunately, the completion of a MTA can be hindered in instances when instructions for completing such agreements are confusing, necessary information relating to the transfer is not provided, or the terms of the agreement itself are unfamiliar, inapplicable, or aggressive, requiring review and negotiation by the parties. In an effort to alleviate some of these issues and facilitate easier sharing of research materials, Emory OTT has developed a new outgoing MTA template for use when Emory investigators wish to provide their materials to collaborators at other academic institutions. This new MTA was designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind. The substantive language of the agreement is pulled in whole from the Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA) promulgated by the National Institutes of Health, which is widely accepted by academic institutions. The agreement also contains clear, organized sections for the investigators and institutions to insert needed information
Continue readingCatching Up With The Cores!
One often unheralded piece of the commercialization puzzle is the numerous research tools (cell lines, antibodies, plasmids, research software, etc.) that are created by university researchers and shared within both academia and industry. At Emory, these research tools typically generate several hundred thousand dollars in revenue annually. Core facilities represent an important operational and strategic role in our institution’s research mission. These facilities provide faculty not just valuable resources and equipment but valuable expertise as well. These core facilities and research centers offer research services not only to the Emory research community but also to other academic institutions and industry. Looking to build on our existing success, one of OTT’s goals for 2013 is to ensure an inclusive licensing portfolio of non-patented technologies such as research tools. As part of that effort, OTT has been on a mission to reach out to the University’s many core facilities, recognizing that in many cases, these facilities are tasked with generating and/or storing many of these tools. By improving the communication and relationship with the cores, the office will be more aware of new tools being developed and better able to assist Emory investigators in the commercialization of these types of technologies. The
Continue readingSeptember is OTT’s 2nd Annual Research Tools Month!
Each year hundreds of new innovations are disclosed by the faculty here at Emory. It is our role as the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) to manage these innovations, guiding them from the lab bench to the hands of a commercial partner. An often overlooked piece of the commercialization puzzle is the numerous research tools (cell lines, antibodies, plasmids, research software, etc.) that are also created and shared with many groups. These tools form the workhorses of bench research and are critical components in facilitating discovery. For the 2nd year in row, OTT is using September to promote our research tools program by highlighting these innovations here in this blog, on our website, and on social media (Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest). Stay tuned! If you are interested in learning more about what research tools are currently available to license, a listing can be found here.
Continue readingInterns: Making the Most of Your Experience
Internships are great opportunities to learn about a new field and decide whether you actually like it before you commit to a career change. Being an intern is fun and exciting, but it’s also challenging and sometimes a little daunting. Below are some suggestions for really getting the most out of your time as an intern: Ask questions – Do your research first but when you reach a wall, ask. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes –If you don’t try & fail, you won’t learn. Learn from your mistakes – This point probably goes without saying, but it needs to be said. Take advantage of every opportunity – As an intern, it’s probably not best to say, “That’s not part of my job description” (unless it’s fetching someone’s coffee). Other opportunities include networking and attending meetings. Some offices may even help pay or sponsor you to attend. Learn to multitask – You’ll have to learn how to do it at some point, so learn to do it now. Explore on your own – Don’t do only what is asked and stop thinking. Research this possible new career path – is it something you could see yourself doing after the internship?
Continue readingUnlocking the Power of Google Searching – Part 2
Last week we brought you a set of tips to power up your Google searches. This week we bring you Part II, other hints & tips from research librarian Ann Cullen. These tricks are more focused on strategies to keep in mind when you are having difficulty finding the information you want or when the results you are getting are questionable in quality. Here are a few of her search strategies: Consider language, what additional terms could be used to describe it? What’s included and what’s missing (phrases, exclude words, synonyms)? Where does this information potentially live (insite, inurl)? What other source might help me get closer to what I’m looking for (trade associations, conferences)? What type of content might it be (filetype, image, diagram)? What’s the credibility of content (source, date range)? If you are really stuck Ann’s recommendation is to combine several options to create a much more powerful search. Consider the following examples that combine last week’s Google tips with this week’s helpful hints. Looking for information on trends in vision correction~vision ~treatment opthamolog* ~trends filetype:pdf 2012..2013Looking for reports on graphene from top consulting firms~graphene inurl:mckinsey | “boston consulting” | bain | booz | deloitte | pricewaterhousecoopers
Continue readingUnlocking the Power of Google Searching – Part 1
In technology transfer, as in many professions, we are constantly on the search for information, be it market data, technical info, or prior art. Our office recently invited research librarian Ann Cullen, from Emory’s Goizueta Business Library, to visit and share her tips on how to use Google to search more effectively and efficiently. It was an enlightening session with lots of helpful hints & tricks for harnessing the search engines powers. Below is a short list highlighting our favorites: Search for a term and its synonyms, preface it with ~ (e.g., ~energy returns energy, oil, gas) Search within a range of numbers by using an elipse – Number range X..X (e.g., 2007…012) Search titles: intitle:”x” (e.g., intitle:altzheimers or intitle:”cancer treatment”) Search in text: intext:”x” or (e.g., intext:patent or intext:”patent reform”) Search a site: site:”x” (e.g., census site:gov) Search a url: inurl:”x” (e.g., “technology transfer” inurl:*.edu or sequestration inurl:blogs) Find all pages that link a specific page: link:”page url” (e.g., link:emory.edu) Search for a file type: filetype:”x” (e.g., ~cancer ~cost filetype:pdf) Search for similar webpages: related:”page url” (e.g., related:”http://www.heart.org”) Search for definitions: define:”word” (.e.g., define:”global warming”) Ann’s best takeaway however was a simple, but often forgotten, message – take a
Continue readingFrom the Director: What Does the AUTM Survey Tell Us?
Each year the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) conducts an annual licensing survey capturing metrics related to research, patenting, and licensing. The survey attempts to capture a broad array of metrics with the goal to convey the effects of technology transfer on economic development and improvement of human lives. These metrics include product vignettes that describe how university technology transfer is making a better world, but – to AUTM’s great disappointment – it is the dollars and cents that get the greatest attention each year. While the AUTM licensing survey is in its 21st year, there isn’t 21 years of data from all data points or all research universities. However the data is substantial and reveals some very interesting trends in U. S. technology transfer: Over the last two decades, research funding has been on the rise each year and around $61B was reported in 2011, up from $12B in 1991. If you plot that data on the same graph as new invention disclosures, these two lines mirror each other amazingly well. Although on a different scale, invention disclosures have also increased each year to an all-time high in 2011 of nearly 22,000; up from just 5,000 in 1991.
Continue readingInterns: At the Intersection of Science and Business
“Why should I care?” is a question most often asked by mentors in order to push a mentee to communicate the bigger picture of science. With scientists in the lab striving to understand a small part of life, the overall goals of research are sometimes lost in translation. Part of the confounding issue of science communication is that writing and presenting skills tend to fall to the wayside in graduate training; yet, the ability to clearly communicate ideas is a critical component of securing funding, publishing good quality articles, and winning the occasional best presentation award. While these are all familiar goals for scientists, the importance of disseminating science extends past the academic audience. Communicating new technologies and their marketability is a critical component in the office. Whereas many academic scientists promote their impact on the scientific field, the focus of technology transfer is to promote potential commercial value. These are vastly different goals that can be hard to consolidate for a graduate student. I first found myself stumped at the prospect of switching gears to business mode. After retraining some neurons with the help of the staff, I realized that many of the skills I gained through graduate school
Continue readingReTechTran: An Evolution of Emory’s Technology Transfer Program
Recent economic and political pressures have resulted in increased interest in university technology transfer activities. Recognizing this heightened interest in our work, Emory’s OTT wants to ensure that our technology transfer program continues to be viewed as one of the leading programs in the country. To accomplish that goal, our office has embarked on a multi-phase, multi-year project focused on “Reinventing Technology Transfer,” what we call ReTechTran for short, which seeks to improve and strengthen the operations of our office. Phase I of ReTechTran involved the identification of operational and programmatic best practices by visiting several other successful technology transfer offices in the region. Ultimately from this review, we were able to reaffirm many of our own current practices as well as identify and adopt some new practices. One current practice we found to be unique to Emory that continues to reap benefits is the Emory Patent Group (EPG), our in-house patent department. EPG allows OTT to draft, manage, and prosecute all unlicensed patents without the help of outside law firms. “It is imperative that universities continually evaluate best practices and adopt creative new initiatives to assure the greatest possible impact from technology transfer is achieved,” says Todd Sherer, OTT
Continue readingUntangling the Codes
In technology transfer, as in other fields, there are quite a few acronyms that are thrown around and may seem confusing at first. In this glossary, we break down the different types of agreements that’ll help you untangle those codes. MTA MTA stands for Material Transfer Agreement. Because research and technology development are often collaborative efforts, colleagues may share research tools. MTAs are formal contracts that define the proper use and limits of these shared tools, which could include reagents, cells, antibodies, computer software, etc. It’s important to execute an MTA before any research material is sent or received. The execution of an MTA ensures clear intellectual property ownership and supports necessary patent documentation. IIA IIA stands for Inter-institutional Agreement. IIAs come into play when multiple individuals at different institutions jointly invent a new technology. In the case of joint ownership, OTT will negotiate an IIA to define the rights and responsibilities of the institutions. These agreements encompass intellectual property protection, commercialization, cost and revenue sharing, as well other issues related to protecting and licensing the jointly-owned technology. RA RA stands for Research Agreement. Research agreements detail the obligations, commitments, and expectations of the parties involved over the course of
Continue readingInterns: A Balancing Act
As a husband and father, balancing laboratory life and personal life is an ongoing juggling act. Experiments requiring a typical workday somehow stretch an extra 2-3 hours, straining time with family. When my son wakes up with a fever, and my wife cannot miss work, I have to lean on my labmates to attend to my cultures until I arrive. Having an empathetic principal investigator (PI) and supportive colleagues are tremendous assets. Once I decided to intern in the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), I needed careful planning to prevent my juggling act from becoming a circus. Before considering an internship outside of the lab, you need permission from your PI, of course. Essentially, you are convincing your “boss” to continue paying you a full-time salary with potentially reduced on-site presence. If your PI requires a set number of hours per week, plan on extended work days or weekends to make up the difference. Some PIs merely want results; in this case try to meet regularly with your PI and proactively share pertinent data to reassure them that you are productive. Each of our interns maintains a unique schedule that pairs well with their laboratory schedule. We aim for 6-10
Continue readingNew DRIVE for Drug Development & Innovation
An innovative new commercialization partner has arrived at Emory University; DRIVE (Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory, LLC). DRIVE is a new public-private drug development enterprise and not-for-profit entity separate from, but wholly owned by Emory, that will expand the capabilities of traditional academic drug research, combining the expertise of Emory scientists with a proven business and management team. DRIVE will provide the financial, business, project management, and regulatory expertise to move drugs through lead optimization and pre-clinical testing and into proof-of-concept clinical trials. Its ultimate goal is to transition scientific discoveries more rapidly, effectively, and efficiently. Emory OTT is excited to have this new avenue available to move discoveries forward from the lab to the market. Universities have typically had difficulty moving promising projects through this stage of development often referred to as the “Valley of Death.” Technologies with proof-of-concept clinical data will have significantly more value and less risk and can then be out-licensed to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, partnered with foundations or government entities, or spun-out into newly formed companies financed by venture capital firms. DRIVE will finance its initial efforts with $10 million in funding received from the monetization of royalties associated with the HIV drug emtricitabine
Continue readingAnother Successful FastTrac Closes – Congrats & Thanks!
After two months and six full days of course work another FastTrac® TechVenture™ course concluded. There were 36 budding entrepreneurs from Emory, Georgia Tech, Morehouse School of Medicine, and University of Georgia who participated. The course taught researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs about the nuts and bolts of running a new business, familiarizing them with start-ups and preparing them to work with business leaders and investors. The group heard from five presidents/CEOs, three VPs/COOs, an executive recruiter, a patent attorney, and a venture capitalist. Donovan Moxey, a 3D animation software company co-founder led weekly class discussions. Congratulations to our Graduates: Heather Bara, Gregory Berns, Beau Bruce, Austin Cape, Amanda Caster, Ping Chen, Sharath Cholleti, Felmont Eaves, Ernesto Escobar, Baowei Fei, Douglas Friedman, Christopher Gillig, Cengiz Gunay, Michael Hellerstein, Brantley Herrin, R. Chris Hopkins, Erin Keller, David LaBorde, Renhao Li, Brandon Miller, Jonathan Neff, Susan Nicholas, Chantel Nicolas, Modele Ogunniyi, Omotunde Olubi, Muralidhar Padala, Amir Rezvan, Felipe Sarmiento, Jennifer Sherer, Mark Spivak, Kelvin Suggs, Srini Tridandapani, Erika Tyburski, Lawrence Wilson, Daqing Wu, and Kevin Woods. Thank you to our speakers and mentors for volunteering your time! Speakers: Barry Brager, Tom Callaway, Robert Crutchfield, Charlie Deignan, Richard diMonda, Sherry Knowles, Vince La Terza,
Continue readingOTT Launches New Website
Emory’s Office of Technology Transfer is proud to announce the launch of an all NEW website www.ott.emory.edu! This large scale redesign and update is a key part of our larger comprehensive “Reinventing Technology Transfer” Project (ReTechTran) focused on improving and upgrading Emory’s technology transfer program, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of our industry. Serving as a digital gateway to our office, our upgraded and redesigned site offers many features and content not previously available to our faculty and industry partners. Highlights of the new site include new educational materials, facts & figures, success stories, additional videos, social media integration, and an OTT blog. We hope you take a few minutes to explore!
Continue reading