Technology
transfer refers to a process by which scientific knowledge and
technologies are moved between two or more organizations including
industry, universities, and other institutions. University of Nebraska
technology transfer implies that the technology was developed by
researchers at the University of Nebraska and is being exchanged with
partner organizations that can further develop the early-stage
invention. The main objective of technology transfer is the
commercialization of biomedical research to ensure that the innovative
ideas and technologies are developed and marketed into products for
public use. At the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC),
researchers constantly develop new and innovative ideas and technologies
to improve health care around the world.
As
soon as inventions are conceived, they are disclosed to UNMC’s
technology transfer office, UNeMed, who has over 10 years of experience
offering technology transfer services and has established numerous
business relationships with commercial partners. UNeMed carries out a
thorough evaluation of the intellectual property position and potential
market of the new technology. When an invention receives a positive
evaluation, the University of Nebraska technology transfer process
begins as the technology is commercialized through a license agreement,
which grants the University technology rights to a third party for a
specified period of time.
This third party may be an established
company or a new start-up, which will help transform the scientific
knowledge into market-ready products or services. University of Nebraska
technology transfer licensing agreements benefit both the university
and the business partner. Licenses include terms that often require the
licensee to make financial payments to the University. These medical
patent licensing fees and royalty payments provide support for
additional research and education at the university. In addition to the
financial rewards, the university achieves recognition because their
scientific research may lead to a commercial product that improves
global health care. Business organizations, on the other hand use the
technology to develop products and services that will earn profits from
sales on the marketplace.
Through
technology transfer licensing, businesses can skip the discovery stage
of a technology and focus on further development and commercialization
of the product. As a consequence, it is more cost effective to license
the necessary technology as companies reduce their research expense
costs while saving on production time. Technology transfer from
universities to the commercial sector allows the research community an
opportunity to have a positive impact on the health care marketplace.
This
event leads to an improvement of health care as new discoveries from
the laboratory move to the marketplace. Biotechnology licensing
generates new products and services, such as therapeutics, diagnostics,
medical devices, biomedical research tools, and medical software, which
improve our quality of life. Additionally, University of Nebraska
technology transfer has made a significant contribution to the economic
development in the state of Nebraska and worldwide by opening
businesses, creating industries and opening new markets. Therefore, the
general public can benefit from the positive economic impact and
remarkable new medical advances that are made possible thanks to
university-industry collaborations.