Consider the following scenario: A university biomedical researcher approaches t
ID: 271275 • Letter: C
Question
Consider the following scenario: A university biomedical researcher approaches the University Technology Transfer Office to seek advice on the commercialization of the researcher’s recent discovery. They explain to the officer that they have discovered, in a screen of 40 prostate cancer patients, that the levels of certain urinary peptides are elevated when compared to age-matched controls. They also mention to the officer that they have no funding to undertake further research or development of their discovery but that they know a scientist who has studied with them at university and is now working in a large pharmaceutical company on the development of prostate cancer therapies, and they were therefore thinking of seeking their help. If you were the Technology Transfer Officer: a. What additional facts should you try to establish in order to advise the university biomedical researcher properly? [40% of the mark] AND b. What advice would you give the university biomedical researcher once you had the relevant information? When answering, consider the possibility of patenting and entering into a collaboration with the pharmaceutical company. [60% of the mark]
Explanation / Answer
a. As a technology transfer officer, I would recommend the following actions to establish concrete relevance for further collaboration -
b. Once we have the relevant information to go forward with the research, the following actions can be suggested -