Thomas McDonald, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Nebraska Medical
Center’s department of pathology and microbiology, has been elected president
of UneMed Corp. by its board of directors. UneMed’s mission is to serve
UNMC by developing and commercializing discoveries made by UNMC faculty,
staff and students.
Dr. McDonald has assisted UNMC in a variety of commercialization and
technology development projects for more than 15 years. His expertise includes
technology assessment, license negotiation, development of start-up companies,
and fostering industry and community relations. Dr. McDonald’s efforts
in intellectual property have focused on medical biotechnology, particularly
immunoassay, immunotherapy and vaccine development.
He has authored numerous scientific publications in his active research
field of inflammation and diabetic kidney disease and is an inventor on
several United States patents. He has invented, developed and manufactured
prototype diagnostic tests for human and veterinary applications as well
as established start-up companies to manufacture and market these technologies
in collaboration with domestic and foreign companies.
Dr. McDonald joined UNMC’s faculty in 1979 as an assistant professor
in the department of medical microbiology. He was elevated to associate
professor in the department of pathology and microbiology in 1984 and was
appointed to his current position as professor in 1993.
He earned his doctorate degree in immunology from Washington State University.
Active on numerous committees and boards, he also is a member of several
scientific and professional business organizations including the American
Association of Immunologists, the Association of University Technology
Managers and the Licensing Executives Society. He serves on the board for
the Foundation for Molecular Virology Research and is an invited member
of the European Concerted Action Consortium, which is involved with developing
international protein standards for the measurement of acute phase proteins
in animals.
Established in 1991, UneMed serves to carry out the development and
transfer of UNMC inventions to the marketplace, after they have been processed
in the intellectual property office and reviewed by the Technology, Evaluation
and Protection Committee. UneMed is a for-profit organization that provides
these technology transfer services to UNMC.
UneMed also provides the management, marketing, and financial expertise
required to establish or manage joint ventures between UneMed and one or
more industrial or commercial strategic partners. UNMC is the sole shareholder
of UneMed.
Faculty, staff and students engaged in research are, by the nature
of their employment at an academic health science center, discoverers of
new information, Dr. McDonald said. If the discovery has potential commercial
value it should be disclosed to the Intellectual Property Office for a
market analysis and patent protection, so that UneMed can begin further
development and commercialization activities related to the invention.
Dr. McDonald said, “These activities provide the researcher with access
to additional revenue for supporting research that would otherwise be unavailable.
These sources include research grants from industry to further the basic
science aspects of the invention, National Institutes of Health-sponsored
Small Business Innovative Research grants, NIH-sponsored Small Business
Technology Transfer Research grants and funds from the federally sponsored
Advanced Technology Program.”
The long term financial rewards for the university and the inventor
can occur from licensing fees negotiated in agreements between industrial
partners and UneMed and royalties generated from the sale of products.
For more information on UneMed, contact Dr. McDonald at (402) 559-2468.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the state.
Through its commitment to research, education, outreach and patient care,
UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for
cancer research and treatment and solid organ transplantation. More than
$34 million in research grants and contracts are awarded to UNMC scientists
annually. In addition, UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for
training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other
institution.