Technology Transfer: Learning from Lost Opportunities and Sharing Best Practices

Abstract

<jats:p> One significant aspect of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's charitable mission is to ensure that its research results benefit society at large. This is accomplished through researcher education, securing appropriate intellectual property protection and licensing so that inventions are developed into useful products. The Swan-Ganz and Barath balloon catheters each represent different stages in the evolution of technology transfer at Cedars-Sinai. To capture revenues from its own technologies, Cedars-Sinai learned about the benefit of having established technology transfer practices through its experience with a blockbuster invention developed before its Technology Transfer Office existed. Cedars-Sinai subsequently felt that it should share its technology transfer experience and train researchers and administrators in Central and Eastern Europe. </jats:p>

Research and Innovation Strategic Alliance of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Central – Eastern European (CEE) Academic Organizations

“…Technology assess ment is seen as a mechanism for achieving effec tive and efficient use of resources; yet, institu tions have not fully utilized or implemented a technology transfer program to maximize the economic potential of their technologies. Aca demic institutions can encounter considerable political, economic, and bureaucratic barriers when they attempt to develop and implement technology transfer offices and protocols [8].…”